Publisher's Synopsis
Charity - the voluntary giving of one's time or money to alleviate suffering, to improve the conditions of our fellows for the common good - has been a key element of civil society for centuries. However, at the beginning of the 21st century a series of scandals has created growing unease about contemporary charities. What's Wrong With Charity sets out why we need to examine the system that creates fraud and mismanagement rather than treating each case as if it were solely caused by corrupt or incompetent individuals. What's Wrong With Charity makes the case that there are six interweaving processes within the contemporary charity sector that are conspiring to create a massive - often bureaucratic - "infrastructure of welfare" that undermines the very notion of charity itself: 1. Poor legislation and a lack of regulation 2. The end of voluntarism and the growth of employment and self-interest within charities 3. Increased fraud and corruption 4. Tax avoidance 5. The creation of "astroturf", "sock puppet" and "moral entrepreneur" charities to hi-jack public discourse and undermine the democratic process 6. The growth of corporate business-emulating charities 7. The problem of charities investing in the corporations and states that cause most of the suffering in the first place.
