Servile State or Discredited State? Some Historical Antecedents of Current 'Big Society' Debates.

The article discusses the historical context for the British government's Big Society policy plan, which emphasizes local community and organizational involvement over state control, focusing on historic clashes over notions of the role of society. The author examines various conceptions of society in early British history, including discussions of property, support in time of need, and citizenship, and the influence of intellectuals Thomas Paine and Robert Owen is highlighted. The connection between notions of society and public policy is discussed, and special attention is paid to Great Britain's Poor Laws. Other topics include the thought of liberal thinkers Hilaire Belloc, Seebohm Rowntree, and Ernest Barker.