John Saillant on the Transformation of Charity in Postrevolutionary New England
Conrad Edick Wright. The Transformation of Charity in Postrevolutionary New England. Boston, MA: Northeastern University Press, 1992. x + 330 pp. $50.00, cloth, ISBN 978-1-55553-123-2. Reviewed by John D. Saillant Published on H-Early-America (March, 1996) The theme of "philanthropy and its discon‐ teenth-century and early-nineteenth-century tents" is important for those interested in philan‐ America, philanthropy was the focus of intense thropy as well as those interested in contempo‐ discussion. Moreover, Wright argues, the develop‐ rary social thought. As Robert L. Payton notes in ment of the ideas and the institutions of philan‐ his Philanthropy: Voluntary Action for the Public thropy was bound up with the creation of a mod‐ Good, not only the usefulness but also even the ern, postrevolutionary society in the United existence of philanthropy has been challenged in States. Indeed, the word "philanthropy," little used the twentieth century. Some believe, Payton notes, by Americans before the Revolution became pop‐ that "philanthropy undercuts the will to work and ular around 1780 (120-121). Before the Revolu‐ vitiates the necessity for each person to stand on tion, Americans generally avoided "philanthropy" his or her own feet." Some believe, Payne notes in favor of such terms as "benevolence," "charity," further, that "human nature at its core makes phi‐ "compassion," and "kindness." Understood accord‐ lanthropy illusory, as Freud believed religion to ing to its etymology as referring to "love of hu‐ be; philanthropy is an example of what in Marxist mankind," "philanthropy" seemed too abstract terms is called 'false consciousness,' an ideological and ambitious to seventeenth-century and eigh‐ sleight-of-hand that tries to put a benevolent face teenth-century Americans, who preferred more on an exploitative system." [Robert L.
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