Thinking Collectively: Social Policy, Collective Action and the Common Good

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.

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.

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.