Thinking collectively: social policy, collective action and the common good

4 The individual and the collectiveIndividual and group interests; The many and the few; Protecting individuals within collective structures; The individual and the collective: moral perspectives; 5 Community; The nature of a community; Patterns of community; Solidarity in communities; Social inclusion; The political community; Part II Collective action for the common good; 6 Government and collective action; The nature of government; Government as collective action; Government and civil society; Democratic government; 7 Radical democracy; Civic republicanism; Populism

In this book, well-respected author Paul Spicker lends a complementary voice to his reclaiming individualism, reviewing collectivism as a dimension of political discourse. Taking a dispassionate and methodical approach, the author explores what collectivism means in social policy and what value it offers to the field.

What does collectivism mean in social policy? What does thinking collectively imply for policy? In this book, well-respected author Paul Spicker lends a complementary voice to his Reclaiming Individualism, reviewing collectivism as a dimension of political discourse. Breaking down his analysis to examine collectivism through substantive, moral and methodological lenses, he reviews a series of arguments for cooperative effort, solidarity and collective responsibility. Taking a dispassionate and methodical approach, the author explores what collectivism means in social policy and what value it offers to the field

Preface -- About the author. Par 1 Collectivism : 1 Substantive collectivism: collectivism in practice : Social behaviour -- Social groups -- Collective action -- Society -- Collectivism: some initial reflections on policy. 2 Methodological collectivism: social science and social policy : Understanding behaviour collectively -- Methodological collectivism in practice. 3 Moral collectivism : The morality of collective action -- Groups as moral actors -- Reconciling moral collectivism with moral individualism. 4 The individual and the collective : Individual and group interests -- The many and the few -- Protecting individuals within collective structures -- The individual and the collective: moral perspectives. 5 Community : THe nature of a community -- Patterns of community -- SOlidarity in communities -- Social inclusion -- The political community. Part 2 Collective action for the common good : 6 Government and collective action : The nature of government -- Government as collective action -- Government and civil society -- Democratic government. 7 Radical democracy : Civic republicanism -- Populism -- Populism and radical democracy. 8 Collective values : Collection action as a value in itself -- Constitutive values -- Substantively collective values. 9 Policies for the common good : The common good -- The conditions for a common good -- Methods: voice and empowerment -- Policies for the common good. 10 The common weal : Towards a good society -- The principles of the common weal. Index -- Index of names.