The Tragedy of American Compassion

Amazon.com: The Tragedy of American Compassion (9781433501104): Marvin Olasky, Amy L. Sherman: Books: This is a richly documented, controversial history of the welfare state as seen from a conservative political perspective. The system is generous with money but stingy on human involvement, argues Olasky: compassion means tough love in which those who give must demand self-help from those who receive. But Olasky adds a proviso that the giver too must be personally involved. He holds up the example of 19th-century charity workers, whose religious beliefs made them compassionate and willing to deal intimately with the poor, rather than dispensing money to them through government agencies.

Editor: A must read. Thanks for the reminder!