Iris Marion Young
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195392388
- eISBN:
- 9780199866625
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195392388.003.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy, Political Philosophy
The first purpose of this chapter is to evaluate the notion of personal responsibility in the context of welfare policy. It focuses on the writings of Charles Murray and Lawrence Mead, which ...
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The first purpose of this chapter is to evaluate the notion of personal responsibility in the context of welfare policy. It focuses on the writings of Charles Murray and Lawrence Mead, which articulate the position in a more extended fashion than most writers do, and because their ideas have had wide influence. After reviewing their criticisms of War on Poverty liberalism and its associated welfare policies, the chapter exposes three major assumptions their accounts of the morality of welfare policy make, all of which are questionable. The chapter also examines another discourse of personal responsibility articulated by certain philosophers about equality. Beginning with Ronald Dworkin's theory of equality of resources, philosophers such as Gerald Cohen, Richard Arneson, and John Roemer debate the proper limits of personal responsibility for a person's situation. They trade on the common intuition that a person should be considered personally responsible for aspects of her situation that she has actively chosen, or that are the consequence of such choices, but not for aspects of her situation that arise from circumstances beyond her control.Less
The first purpose of this chapter is to evaluate the notion of personal responsibility in the context of welfare policy. It focuses on the writings of Charles Murray and Lawrence Mead, which articulate the position in a more extended fashion than most writers do, and because their ideas have had wide influence. After reviewing their criticisms of War on Poverty liberalism and its associated welfare policies, the chapter exposes three major assumptions their accounts of the morality of welfare policy make, all of which are questionable. The chapter also examines another discourse of personal responsibility articulated by certain philosophers about equality. Beginning with Ronald Dworkin's theory of equality of resources, philosophers such as Gerald Cohen, Richard Arneson, and John Roemer debate the proper limits of personal responsibility for a person's situation. They trade on the common intuition that a person should be considered personally responsible for aspects of her situation that she has actively chosen, or that are the consequence of such choices, but not for aspects of her situation that arise from circumstances beyond her control.
Steven Pinker
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195189636
- eISBN:
- 9780199868605
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195189636.003.0017
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
This chapter confronts several fears that determinism engenders, such as the fear that deep down we are not in control of our own choices, and the fear that determinism makes it impossible to hold ...
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This chapter confronts several fears that determinism engenders, such as the fear that deep down we are not in control of our own choices, and the fear that determinism makes it impossible to hold anyone accountable for their actions. Although the fear of biological determinism seems to many people more frightening, environmental determinism must carry the same baggage. But contrary to what is implied by critics of both biological and environmental theories of the causes of behavior, explaining behavior does exonerate the behavior. This chapter shows that we don't need to solve the puzzle of free will in order to preserve personal responsibility in the face of an increasing understanding of the causes of behavior.Less
This chapter confronts several fears that determinism engenders, such as the fear that deep down we are not in control of our own choices, and the fear that determinism makes it impossible to hold anyone accountable for their actions. Although the fear of biological determinism seems to many people more frightening, environmental determinism must carry the same baggage. But contrary to what is implied by critics of both biological and environmental theories of the causes of behavior, explaining behavior does exonerate the behavior. This chapter shows that we don't need to solve the puzzle of free will in order to preserve personal responsibility in the face of an increasing understanding of the causes of behavior.
Amir Paz-Fuchs
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199237418
- eISBN:
- 9780191717192
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199237418.003.0005
- Subject:
- Law, Employment Law
This chapter addresses the philosophical and legal tension between two concepts: reciprocity and equality. Reciprocity governs the approach behind welfare-to-work programmes, from the political ...
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This chapter addresses the philosophical and legal tension between two concepts: reciprocity and equality. Reciprocity governs the approach behind welfare-to-work programmes, from the political philosophy to the practical interactions between government agencies and welfare claimants. It is often seen to support a conception of fairness that places government duties as contingent upon the fulfillment of personal obligations. In contrast, egalitarians are perceived as emphasizing society's duties which are justifiable notwithstanding the individual's failure to take responsibility for her own life choices. This chapter argues that egalitarianism is often seen as opposed to reciprocity because of the different attitude that each expresses towards the idea of personal responsibility. It outlines contemporary efforts to reconcile reciprocity, equality, and personal responsibility, and finds them wanting. It then suggests a different model than the one offered by contemporary egalitarian writers; one, it is argued, that fulfills their objectives better than their own proposals.Less
This chapter addresses the philosophical and legal tension between two concepts: reciprocity and equality. Reciprocity governs the approach behind welfare-to-work programmes, from the political philosophy to the practical interactions between government agencies and welfare claimants. It is often seen to support a conception of fairness that places government duties as contingent upon the fulfillment of personal obligations. In contrast, egalitarians are perceived as emphasizing society's duties which are justifiable notwithstanding the individual's failure to take responsibility for her own life choices. This chapter argues that egalitarianism is often seen as opposed to reciprocity because of the different attitude that each expresses towards the idea of personal responsibility. It outlines contemporary efforts to reconcile reciprocity, equality, and personal responsibility, and finds them wanting. It then suggests a different model than the one offered by contemporary egalitarian writers; one, it is argued, that fulfills their objectives better than their own proposals.
John Baer, James C Kaufman, and Roy F Baumeister
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195189636
- eISBN:
- 9780199868605
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195189636.003.0001
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
This introductory chapter provides an overview of the book and summarizes each of the chapters. The book looks both at recent experimental and theoretical work directly related to free will and at ...
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This introductory chapter provides an overview of the book and summarizes each of the chapters. The book looks both at recent experimental and theoretical work directly related to free will and at ways psychologists deal with the philosophical problems long associated with the question of free will. Topics include the relationship between determinism and free will, the cognitive processes or mental structures that underlie volition, the role of consciousness in the exercise of free will, personal responsibility for actions, the possibility that free will is an illusion; how free will might emerge and function, even in a psyche that is run largely via unconscious processes; how we might explain the nearly universal belief in free will, and how a psychology of conscious free will be tested and demonstrated experimentally.Less
This introductory chapter provides an overview of the book and summarizes each of the chapters. The book looks both at recent experimental and theoretical work directly related to free will and at ways psychologists deal with the philosophical problems long associated with the question of free will. Topics include the relationship between determinism and free will, the cognitive processes or mental structures that underlie volition, the role of consciousness in the exercise of free will, personal responsibility for actions, the possibility that free will is an illusion; how free will might emerge and function, even in a psyche that is run largely via unconscious processes; how we might explain the nearly universal belief in free will, and how a psychology of conscious free will be tested and demonstrated experimentally.
Abigail C Saguy
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199857081
- eISBN:
- 9780199315925
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199857081.003.0003
- Subject:
- Sociology, Culture
This chapter examines the main ways in which blame and responsibility for a perceived obesity epidemic are typically framed, including as resulting from bad individual choices, sociocultural factors, ...
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This chapter examines the main ways in which blame and responsibility for a perceived obesity epidemic are typically framed, including as resulting from bad individual choices, sociocultural factors, or genetics/biology. It provides both a detailed discussion of the internal logic of each of these frames, as well as the relative power of their advocates. Drawing on a comparison of 261 articles on overweight or obesity and 70 U.S. news articles on eating disorders—all published in The New York Times and Newsweek between 1995 and 2005—the chapter examines the extent to which there is greater tendency to evoke a personal responsibility frame when discussing obesity than when discussing other issues. It shows that U.S. news reports are more likely to blame people for being “too fat” than for having eating disorders that lead them to be “too thin.” Drawing on a comparison of these U.S. articles with 108 French news reports on obesity, the chapter further examines the extent to which an emphasis on personal responsibility is especially pronounced in the United States. It shows that, while the U.S. news media stress individual responsibility for obesity, the French news reports tend to emphasize sociocultural and individual factors more equally.Less
This chapter examines the main ways in which blame and responsibility for a perceived obesity epidemic are typically framed, including as resulting from bad individual choices, sociocultural factors, or genetics/biology. It provides both a detailed discussion of the internal logic of each of these frames, as well as the relative power of their advocates. Drawing on a comparison of 261 articles on overweight or obesity and 70 U.S. news articles on eating disorders—all published in The New York Times and Newsweek between 1995 and 2005—the chapter examines the extent to which there is greater tendency to evoke a personal responsibility frame when discussing obesity than when discussing other issues. It shows that U.S. news reports are more likely to blame people for being “too fat” than for having eating disorders that lead them to be “too thin.” Drawing on a comparison of these U.S. articles with 108 French news reports on obesity, the chapter further examines the extent to which an emphasis on personal responsibility is especially pronounced in the United States. It shows that, while the U.S. news media stress individual responsibility for obesity, the French news reports tend to emphasize sociocultural and individual factors more equally.
Joseph Chan
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691158617
- eISBN:
- 9781400848690
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691158617.003.0009
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This chapter looks at how Mencius envisions a multilevel social system of provision in which the family, the village or commune, as well as the government all have specific roles to play. Social ...
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This chapter looks at how Mencius envisions a multilevel social system of provision in which the family, the village or commune, as well as the government all have specific roles to play. Social justice is the foundation of this social system; the family and commune (or social relationships and networks) provide familial care and mutual aid; and when they are not sufficient, the government steps in to provide direct welfare assistance. This Confucian social ideal integrates justice and care, recognizing both individual merit and personal responsibility. Mencius's vision is not of a nanny state that takes care of every aspect of people's lives from the cradle to the grave, but of a social system regulated by several principles, such as sufficiency, personal responsibility, merit, and contribution.Less
This chapter looks at how Mencius envisions a multilevel social system of provision in which the family, the village or commune, as well as the government all have specific roles to play. Social justice is the foundation of this social system; the family and commune (or social relationships and networks) provide familial care and mutual aid; and when they are not sufficient, the government steps in to provide direct welfare assistance. This Confucian social ideal integrates justice and care, recognizing both individual merit and personal responsibility. Mencius's vision is not of a nanny state that takes care of every aspect of people's lives from the cradle to the grave, but of a social system regulated by several principles, such as sufficiency, personal responsibility, merit, and contribution.
Lisa D. Brush
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- September 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195398502
- eISBN:
- 9780199897483
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195398502.003.0011
- Subject:
- Social Work, Crime and Justice
This chapter provides the intellectual scaffolding for the book. The chapter reviews the explanatory frameworks that together constitute the conventional wisdom about poverty, battering, and the ...
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This chapter provides the intellectual scaffolding for the book. The chapter reviews the explanatory frameworks that together constitute the conventional wisdom about poverty, battering, and the central role of women’s work in addressing them. The hegemonic explanations for poverty and abuse include victim empowerment folklore, criminological expertise and law-and-order logic, the politics of disgust, and work-first common sense. The chapter then presents an alternative approach (drawn from feminist structural challenges to conventional wisdom) that focuses on how women are trapped by poverty and abuse. The chapter concludes the chapter with a critical description of the contradictory dynamics of the institutionalization of conventional wisdom in two key U.S. policies on poverty and battering: the Personal Responsibility Act and the Violence Against Women Act.Less
This chapter provides the intellectual scaffolding for the book. The chapter reviews the explanatory frameworks that together constitute the conventional wisdom about poverty, battering, and the central role of women’s work in addressing them. The hegemonic explanations for poverty and abuse include victim empowerment folklore, criminological expertise and law-and-order logic, the politics of disgust, and work-first common sense. The chapter then presents an alternative approach (drawn from feminist structural challenges to conventional wisdom) that focuses on how women are trapped by poverty and abuse. The chapter concludes the chapter with a critical description of the contradictory dynamics of the institutionalization of conventional wisdom in two key U.S. policies on poverty and battering: the Personal Responsibility Act and the Violence Against Women Act.
Michael S. Gazzaniga
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780198567219
- eISBN:
- 9780191724084
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198567219.003.0010
- Subject:
- Neuroscience, Behavioral Neuroscience
This chapter argues that cognitive neuroscience has three main issues with respect to the current field of neuroethics. First, cognitive neuroscience can help with some current ethical dilemmas such ...
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This chapter argues that cognitive neuroscience has three main issues with respect to the current field of neuroethics. First, cognitive neuroscience can help with some current ethical dilemmas such as whether the embryo has the moral status of a human being. Secondly, there are important ethical areas to which neuroscientists are being asked to contribute when, in fact, they should not be. For instance, neuroscience has nothing to say about concepts such as free will and personal responsibility, and it probably also has nothing to say about such things as antisocial thoughts. Finally, cognitive neuroscience is building an understanding of how brain research will instruct us on ideas like universal morals possessed by all members of our species. This fundamental development will find cognitive neuroscience becoming central to the modern world's view of ethical universals.Less
This chapter argues that cognitive neuroscience has three main issues with respect to the current field of neuroethics. First, cognitive neuroscience can help with some current ethical dilemmas such as whether the embryo has the moral status of a human being. Secondly, there are important ethical areas to which neuroscientists are being asked to contribute when, in fact, they should not be. For instance, neuroscience has nothing to say about concepts such as free will and personal responsibility, and it probably also has nothing to say about such things as antisocial thoughts. Finally, cognitive neuroscience is building an understanding of how brain research will instruct us on ideas like universal morals possessed by all members of our species. This fundamental development will find cognitive neuroscience becoming central to the modern world's view of ethical universals.
Chris Armstrong
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- July 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780719069246
- eISBN:
- 9781781701287
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719069246.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This book provides a critical account of contemporary egalitarian theories. It challenges their focus on issues of choice and personal responsibility, and questions their ability to address the major ...
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This book provides a critical account of contemporary egalitarian theories. It challenges their focus on issues of choice and personal responsibility, and questions their ability to address the major inequalities that characterise the contemporary world, before presenting an alternative vision of egalitarian politics based on the challenge of a genuinely inclusive form of citizenship. This vision is defended through a critical discussion of four key issues in political theory: the recognition/redistribution debate, the connection between equality and responsibility, the ideal of equal opportunities, and the significance of ‘globalisation’ for the politics of equal citizenship. The book provides a critical account of the most important contemporary egalitarian theories, including the work of John Rawls, Ronald Dworkin and the luck egalitarians, Anne Phillips, Iris Young and Nancy Fraser. It also relates these theories to contemporary political (and especially citizenship) practice, assessing them in relation to the impact of neoliberalism on contemporary welfare states, and the shift from ‘social’ to ‘active’ forms of citizenship.Less
This book provides a critical account of contemporary egalitarian theories. It challenges their focus on issues of choice and personal responsibility, and questions their ability to address the major inequalities that characterise the contemporary world, before presenting an alternative vision of egalitarian politics based on the challenge of a genuinely inclusive form of citizenship. This vision is defended through a critical discussion of four key issues in political theory: the recognition/redistribution debate, the connection between equality and responsibility, the ideal of equal opportunities, and the significance of ‘globalisation’ for the politics of equal citizenship. The book provides a critical account of the most important contemporary egalitarian theories, including the work of John Rawls, Ronald Dworkin and the luck egalitarians, Anne Phillips, Iris Young and Nancy Fraser. It also relates these theories to contemporary political (and especially citizenship) practice, assessing them in relation to the impact of neoliberalism on contemporary welfare states, and the shift from ‘social’ to ‘active’ forms of citizenship.
THOMAS M. FRANCK
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199248094
- eISBN:
- 9780191707766
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199248094.003.0010
- Subject:
- Law, Law of Obligations, Human Rights and Immigration
This study has focused on the emerging right of individuals autonomously to design their personal identities by deliberately and freely selecting from among a range of options. It has sought to ...
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This study has focused on the emerging right of individuals autonomously to design their personal identities by deliberately and freely selecting from among a range of options. It has sought to demonstrate that in recent years, just as individuals were being emancipated to create freely chosen identities, the range of available options was also broadening exponentially. This broadening has occurred as an incidental social consequence of progress in areas such as science, technology, and the economy. Today, in many societies, decisions once dictated by enforced communitarian values have been relegated to personal preference and conscience. The right to be let alone is at last being realised with the help of national and international law as well as of changing social attitudes. It must be acknowledged, however, that these salutary consequences of individualism's progress have not invariably followed.Less
This study has focused on the emerging right of individuals autonomously to design their personal identities by deliberately and freely selecting from among a range of options. It has sought to demonstrate that in recent years, just as individuals were being emancipated to create freely chosen identities, the range of available options was also broadening exponentially. This broadening has occurred as an incidental social consequence of progress in areas such as science, technology, and the economy. Today, in many societies, decisions once dictated by enforced communitarian values have been relegated to personal preference and conscience. The right to be let alone is at last being realised with the help of national and international law as well as of changing social attitudes. It must be acknowledged, however, that these salutary consequences of individualism's progress have not invariably followed.
Amir Paz-Fuchs
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199237418
- eISBN:
- 9780191717192
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199237418.003.0004
- Subject:
- Law, Employment Law
This chapter introduces contemporary welfare-to-work programmes in the United States and Britain. It focuses on the way contemporary welfare-to-work programmes are characterized by the conditioning ...
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This chapter introduces contemporary welfare-to-work programmes in the United States and Britain. It focuses on the way contemporary welfare-to-work programmes are characterized by the conditioning of benefits upon obligations. Employing the same four rationales used when assessing the Poor Law programmes (deterrence, economics, morality and quid-pro-quo), the chapter draws attention to the existence of the conditional attribute of welfare programmes by outlining the rationales motivating each type of conditioning.Less
This chapter introduces contemporary welfare-to-work programmes in the United States and Britain. It focuses on the way contemporary welfare-to-work programmes are characterized by the conditioning of benefits upon obligations. Employing the same four rationales used when assessing the Poor Law programmes (deterrence, economics, morality and quid-pro-quo), the chapter draws attention to the existence of the conditional attribute of welfare programmes by outlining the rationales motivating each type of conditioning.
Anna Wierzbicka
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195137330
- eISBN:
- 9780199867905
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195137337.003.0020
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
This chapter argues that the parable of the Talents is aimed at all people rather than at this or that particular group, as has often been argued in the literature. It points out that as in a number ...
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This chapter argues that the parable of the Talents is aimed at all people rather than at this or that particular group, as has often been argued in the literature. It points out that as in a number of other parables, Jesus uses the narrative strategy of comparing God to a morally dubious character – here, a harsh and merciless master – while at the same time conveying the message that God is merciful and can be trusted, and that people should use their God‐given gifts with courage and in freedom. The chapter discusses the impact of the metaphor of the talents on European civilization and links that metaphor with the Western emphasis on enterprise, initiative, individual freedom of action, and personal responsibility. Some of the key components of the parable's message are articulated as follows:I know: I can do some good thingsbecause God does good things for meI know: God wants me to do these thingsI want to do these things because of thisLess
This chapter argues that the parable of the Talents is aimed at all people rather than at this or that particular group, as has often been argued in the literature. It points out that as in a number of other parables, Jesus uses the narrative strategy of comparing God to a morally dubious character – here, a harsh and merciless master – while at the same time conveying the message that God is merciful and can be trusted, and that people should use their God‐given gifts with courage and in freedom. The chapter discusses the impact of the metaphor of the talents on European civilization and links that metaphor with the Western emphasis on enterprise, initiative, individual freedom of action, and personal responsibility. Some of the key components of the parable's message are articulated as follows:
I know: I can do some good things
because God does good things for me
I know: God wants me to do these things
I want to do these things because of this
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- June 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780804770750
- eISBN:
- 9780804778374
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Stanford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.11126/stanford/9780804770750.003.0006
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Knowledge Management
This chapter offers an interpretation of Chester Barnard, who co-founded management science along with Mary Parker Follett. Barnard began with a structure dubbed “formal organization,” which he ...
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This chapter offers an interpretation of Chester Barnard, who co-founded management science along with Mary Parker Follett. Barnard began with a structure dubbed “formal organization,” which he argued entailed an entirely new condition for the individual and for society and envisioned as a method that developed the individual and society mutually. Initially, he understood the “executive-leader” in the formal organization as the alpha and omega of value(s) creation, but his thinking eventually became more similar to Follett's broader concept of personal responsibility. Barnard developed a theory of a leader whose key function was to cultivate responsibility in others, rather than one who took on responsibilities shunned by an organization's members and delegated upward. Barnard also used himself to relate to the public and the organization, and developed his thinking and experience much further in this regard through his leadership of the United Service Organizations.Less
This chapter offers an interpretation of Chester Barnard, who co-founded management science along with Mary Parker Follett. Barnard began with a structure dubbed “formal organization,” which he argued entailed an entirely new condition for the individual and for society and envisioned as a method that developed the individual and society mutually. Initially, he understood the “executive-leader” in the formal organization as the alpha and omega of value(s) creation, but his thinking eventually became more similar to Follett's broader concept of personal responsibility. Barnard developed a theory of a leader whose key function was to cultivate responsibility in others, rather than one who took on responsibilities shunned by an organization's members and delegated upward. Barnard also used himself to relate to the public and the organization, and developed his thinking and experience much further in this regard through his leadership of the United Service Organizations.
Joseph Rowntree Foundation
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9781847424099
- eISBN:
- 9781447301981
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781847424099.001.0001
- Subject:
- Social Work, Social Policy
Which underlying problems pose the greatest threat to British society in the twenty-first century? A hundred years after its philanthropist founder identified poverty, alcohol, drugs and gambling ...
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Which underlying problems pose the greatest threat to British society in the twenty-first century? A hundred years after its philanthropist founder identified poverty, alcohol, drugs and gambling among the social evils of his time, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation initiated a major consultation among leading thinkers, activists and commentators, as well as the wider public. The findings have now been brought together in this fascinating book. Individual chapters range across the political spectrum but the book also reports the results from a web survey and consultation with groups whose voices are less often heard. The results suggest that while some evils — like poverty — endure as undisputed causes of social harm, more recent sources of social misery, such as an alleged rise in selfish consumerism and a perceived decline in personal responsibility and family commitment, attract controversy.Less
Which underlying problems pose the greatest threat to British society in the twenty-first century? A hundred years after its philanthropist founder identified poverty, alcohol, drugs and gambling among the social evils of his time, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation initiated a major consultation among leading thinkers, activists and commentators, as well as the wider public. The findings have now been brought together in this fascinating book. Individual chapters range across the political spectrum but the book also reports the results from a web survey and consultation with groups whose voices are less often heard. The results suggest that while some evils — like poverty — endure as undisputed causes of social harm, more recent sources of social misery, such as an alleged rise in selfish consumerism and a perceived decline in personal responsibility and family commitment, attract controversy.
Angela Stroud
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2017
- ISBN:
- 9781469627892
- eISBN:
- 9781469627915
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of North Carolina Press
- DOI:
- 10.5149/northcarolina/9781469627892.003.0005
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Ethical Issues and Debates
This chapter examines how ideas about crime and criminals are shaped by neoliberal cultural discourses of personal responsibility that not only justify why people need to be armed but also ...
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This chapter examines how ideas about crime and criminals are shaped by neoliberal cultural discourses of personal responsibility that not only justify why people need to be armed but also rationalize inequality and obscure the social reproduction privilege. Respondents’ perceptions of what motivates criminals is a central focus of the chapter, including a race and class analysis of what makes school shooters different from gang members, and how perceptions of poverty are tied to ideas about criminality. Most respondents believe that criminals are simply looking for an easy way to survive, something they see as being in stark contrast to their own commitment to personal responsibility and hard work. Their CHLs and guns more generally are extensions of a commitment to self-reliance that in its most extreme form manifests in elaborate disaster preparedness plans.Less
This chapter examines how ideas about crime and criminals are shaped by neoliberal cultural discourses of personal responsibility that not only justify why people need to be armed but also rationalize inequality and obscure the social reproduction privilege. Respondents’ perceptions of what motivates criminals is a central focus of the chapter, including a race and class analysis of what makes school shooters different from gang members, and how perceptions of poverty are tied to ideas about criminality. Most respondents believe that criminals are simply looking for an easy way to survive, something they see as being in stark contrast to their own commitment to personal responsibility and hard work. Their CHLs and guns more generally are extensions of a commitment to self-reliance that in its most extreme form manifests in elaborate disaster preparedness plans.
Jeffrey Lehman and Sheldon Danziger
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- October 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780300095418
- eISBN:
- 9780300129847
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300095418.003.0029
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This chapter focuses on the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), characterized as a regressive step that compromises the basic right of a safety net ...
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This chapter focuses on the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), characterized as a regressive step that compromises the basic right of a safety net because employment opportunities are not available to most welfare recipients. The chapter focuses the changes brought about by PRWORA and the economic context and welfare reform. PRWORA totally abolished Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), replacing it with a system of block grants to state governments.Less
This chapter focuses on the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA), characterized as a regressive step that compromises the basic right of a safety net because employment opportunities are not available to most welfare recipients. The chapter focuses the changes brought about by PRWORA and the economic context and welfare reform. PRWORA totally abolished Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), replacing it with a system of block grants to state governments.
Peter King
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9781847422132
- eISBN:
- 9781447302513
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781847422132.003.0002
- Subject:
- Sociology, Urban and Rural Studies
This chapter looks at the conceptual support for the RTB, and considers the nature of conservatism and how this links to property ownership. This shows how the RTB fits into an established set of ...
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This chapter looks at the conceptual support for the RTB, and considers the nature of conservatism and how this links to property ownership. This shows how the RTB fits into an established set of ideas on the role of property ownership, as well as how this is connected to personal responsibility and self-reliance. The discussion on responsibility is extended into one on the concept of really private finance, which is used to capture the way one seeks to control and use his own resources to meet his own needs, expectations, and aspirations.Less
This chapter looks at the conceptual support for the RTB, and considers the nature of conservatism and how this links to property ownership. This shows how the RTB fits into an established set of ideas on the role of property ownership, as well as how this is connected to personal responsibility and self-reliance. The discussion on responsibility is extended into one on the concept of really private finance, which is used to capture the way one seeks to control and use his own resources to meet his own needs, expectations, and aspirations.
Chris Armstrong
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- July 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780719069246
- eISBN:
- 9781781701287
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719069246.003.0003
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This chapter focuses on Ronald Dworkin's egalitarian theory and the resonances between liberal equality and the neoliberal conception of active citizenship. It looks at Dworkin's account of equality ...
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This chapter focuses on Ronald Dworkin's egalitarian theory and the resonances between liberal equality and the neoliberal conception of active citizenship. It looks at Dworkin's account of equality of resources, which is often taken as the point of departure for a hugely influential school of egalitarian thought, namely ‘luck egalitarianism’. The most significant element of the luck egalitarian literature is the foregrounding of notions of personal responsibility and individual choice, which according to its advocates not only give shape and force to egalitarian concerns, but also allow it to meet head-on the most significant opponent of equality — the ideology of the New Right. This chapter also scrutinises Dworkin's advocacy of a hypothetical insurance market, which closely parallels many of the shifts within welfare provision that have taken place since the rebirth of neoliberalism. Dworkin's achievement, at the level of political theory, has been precisely to incorporate liberal egalitarianism within a broadly neoliberal framework.Less
This chapter focuses on Ronald Dworkin's egalitarian theory and the resonances between liberal equality and the neoliberal conception of active citizenship. It looks at Dworkin's account of equality of resources, which is often taken as the point of departure for a hugely influential school of egalitarian thought, namely ‘luck egalitarianism’. The most significant element of the luck egalitarian literature is the foregrounding of notions of personal responsibility and individual choice, which according to its advocates not only give shape and force to egalitarian concerns, but also allow it to meet head-on the most significant opponent of equality — the ideology of the New Right. This chapter also scrutinises Dworkin's advocacy of a hypothetical insurance market, which closely parallels many of the shifts within welfare provision that have taken place since the rebirth of neoliberalism. Dworkin's achievement, at the level of political theory, has been precisely to incorporate liberal egalitarianism within a broadly neoliberal framework.
Mark D. Brewer and Jeffrey M. Stonecash
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- September 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780190239817
- eISBN:
- 9780190239848
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190239817.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
America is divided by two clashing views about how much individuals can be held responsible for their situation. Liberals see many individuals as not completely responsible for the situation they are ...
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America is divided by two clashing views about how much individuals can be held responsible for their situation. Liberals see many individuals as not completely responsible for the situation they are in. They see the opportunities of individuals limited by their class, race, and sex. The resulting distribution of outcomes is therefore seen as unjust, and the remedy is for government to help offset the limits people face. In contrast, conservatives believe individuals can and must live their lives with a presumption of personal responsibility for what happens. Without that presumption as a norm, individuals avoid responsibility for their actions. Government assistance is not seen as valuable, but as creating dependency and ultimately crippling to those who receive it. Society as a whole suffers.Less
America is divided by two clashing views about how much individuals can be held responsible for their situation. Liberals see many individuals as not completely responsible for the situation they are in. They see the opportunities of individuals limited by their class, race, and sex. The resulting distribution of outcomes is therefore seen as unjust, and the remedy is for government to help offset the limits people face. In contrast, conservatives believe individuals can and must live their lives with a presumption of personal responsibility for what happens. Without that presumption as a norm, individuals avoid responsibility for their actions. Government assistance is not seen as valuable, but as creating dependency and ultimately crippling to those who receive it. Society as a whole suffers.
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- June 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780804770750
- eISBN:
- 9780804778374
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Stanford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.11126/stanford/9780804770750.003.0008
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Knowledge Management
This chapter, a collaboration with Max Périé, a senior executive for an international company, explores executive work by looking at the views of Mary Parker Follett and Chester Barnard. The ...
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This chapter, a collaboration with Max Périé, a senior executive for an international company, explores executive work by looking at the views of Mary Parker Follett and Chester Barnard. The executive builds a self-governing whole of which he is also an integral member by establishing a moral code for his organization, subordinating himself to it, and using himself to develop responsibility in others. The executive sees to it that organizational members take personal responsibility for the whole. The chapter thus offers an explanation of what Barnard described were practices “almost impossible” to observe and what Follett argued could not be done by anyone for anyone.Less
This chapter, a collaboration with Max Périé, a senior executive for an international company, explores executive work by looking at the views of Mary Parker Follett and Chester Barnard. The executive builds a self-governing whole of which he is also an integral member by establishing a moral code for his organization, subordinating himself to it, and using himself to develop responsibility in others. The executive sees to it that organizational members take personal responsibility for the whole. The chapter thus offers an explanation of what Barnard described were practices “almost impossible” to observe and what Follett argued could not be done by anyone for anyone.
