Democracy and Social Ethics · Theme
Social Morality vs. Individual Morality
How Democracy and Social Ethics develops Social Morality vs. Individual Morality.
The book argues that traditional individual and family-based ethics are insufficient for modern democratic society, which demands a broader social morality that considers the welfare of the entire community.
Where it surfaces
- Democracy and Social Ethics
The chapter examines the conflict between personal ethical standards and the demands of social justice in a democracy.
- Introduction
The chapter's central argument: personal and family ethics are insufficient; the age demands a social morality that tests conduct by its impact on the broader community.
- II: Charitable Effort
The chapter contrasts the charity visitor's individual moral scruples with the broader social ethics needed for genuine democratic reform.
- Industrial Amelioration
The chapter contrasts individual virtues like thrift and temperance with the social morality of solidarity and collective action, arguing that the latter is essential for addressing industrial problems.