Post University Protestant Ethic Discussion

Description Rebecca C RE: Unit 2.1 DB: Colonial Period The Protestant work ethic in the contemporary society that we live in today, has changed since when it first was discovered. Back when it was first thought about, England set the standard for the Protestant work ethic. In the late nineteenth century, those who were part of the wealthy industrialist that lived in Europe showed that there was a disproportionate chance of being Protestant (Ferguson, 2012). After the Reformation, several of the northern European states broke away from the Roman Catholic Church due to a shift in economic power. This caused the forms of faith and ways of worship to shift towards the way people’s economic fortunes (Ferguson, 2012). Max Weber, who was a German professor and one of the great strongholds of the German Reformation, came up with the phrase “the Protestant ethic”. In 1835, Alexis de Tocqueville observed that the destiny of Americans was contained by the first Puritan that landed on the shore (Young, 2011). The Protestant or the Puritan ethic of the Western civilization seemed to become one of the key elements of a person’s path to economic mobility and independence in America, which led to membership in the middle class or higher. This also included self-mastery over hedonism and self-indulgence along with a strong work ethic. Those born after the 1980s have no clue what it means to have a work ethic let alone a Protestant Ethic. Those born during this time also have no desire to seek better education and literacy let alone the knowledge that is declining and is barely honored (Young, 2011). In “From Poor Law to Welfare State”, Trattner talks about how it took the English about a hundred years to define the Protestant Ethic, but it only took the Americans half the time (Trattner, 1999). The Millennial Generation sees the answer to this issue as that they think the government should provide them with a job and support their standard of living. If a person is not able to take care of themselves then they feel it is the government’s responsibility to provide and take care of them if they are not able to do so alone (Young, 2011). This age group is the only one that seems to think that it is the government’s responsibility and that since the government has a role in an individual’s achievement of the “American Dream”. So, therefore, they feel the state should continue this role of the indulgent and be the protective parents or help shoulder the role that is not fulfilled by the neglectful parents. Since the state was never able to hold up the economic solution for America, the government can no longer be financially responsible to fill the false expectations and promises that they have done previously. References Ferguson, N. (2012, May 14). Book excerpt: Word ethic & work ethic. PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/civilization-west-and-rest/killer-apps/the-work-ethic/excerpt-word-ethic-work-ethic/ Trattner, W. I. (1994). From Poor Law to Welfare State (6th Edition). New York. Simon & Schuster. Young, W. (2011, August 18). The protestant ethic and western civilization. National Association of Scholars | NAS. https://www.nas.org/blogs/article/the_protestant_ethic_and_western_civilization Shannon C RE: Unit 2.1 DB: Colonial Period Professor and class, In this discussion, the author must identify the inconsistencies between contemporary society with Protestant work ethic. She must include the theological, moral, and contextual factors that made the colonial period such a good setting for this work ethic. In psychology the Protestant Work Ethic (PWE) is usually interpreted as a dispositional variable characterized by a belief in the importance of hard work, rationality and frugality and which acts as a defense against sloth, sensuality and religious doubt (Furnham, 1987, p. 93). Protestant work ethic is theorized to be define by personal values. Both the Protestant ethic and the capitalistic work ethos were cultural dimensions, properties of whole societies: ‘a complex of elements associated in historical reality which we unite into a conceptual whole from the standpoint of their cultural significance (Giorgi & Marsh, 1990, p. 501). Protestant work ethic may be demonstrated by economic growth through religious morals. The two separate aspects (capitalist values and ascetic Protestantism) have tended to be conflated into a single ‘Protestant Work Ethic’, a mediating variable between economic activity and religious ideology (Giorgi & Marsh, 1990, p. 501). Although religion may still have some influence in the modern workforce, the author believes there are differences between the colonial period and today. There may be inconsistencies between contemporary society with Protestant work ethic. Although hard work and religious morals may be relevant to contemporary society, perspectives have changed to avoid inhuman circumstances that were previously accepted. In small towns unable to support an almshouse, it was not uncommon for the town council to auction the poor off to neighboring farmers, apprentice out children, and place the poor in private homes at public expense, or send them to privately operated almshouses (Kroger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 28). Previously, child slaves were unfortunately tolerated in efforts to achieve economic growth. Settlers believed that children should be part of a family unit and the practice of indentured child servitude was widespread (Kroger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 28). In contemporary society, the selling of adults and children for wages is considered immoral and even illegal. The second inconsistency between contemporary society and Protestant work ethic is the treatment of indigent populations. The needs of indigent communities were often ignored and shunned. Residency requirements were enforced through policies of “warning out” or “passing on” (Kroger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 28). “Warning out” meant that newcomers were strongly encouraged to move on if they appeared indigent (Kroger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 28). “Passing on” was returning the transient poor to their former countries of residence (Kroger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 28). In modern times, the social welfare has a large focus on assisting refugees and immigrants. They are no longer turned away solely due to their country of origin. Another inconsistency is the treatment of able-bodied poor people. The able-bodied poor in colonial America were treated harshly and idleness was regarded as a vice whereby the able-bodied loafer was indentured, expelled from town, whipped, or jailed (Kroger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 28). This Protestant work ethic promoted a work-oriented society and provided the religious foundation for neglecting the plight of the poor (Kroger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 31). Previously looked down upon, there are many present organizations that are dedicated to assisting able-bodied poor people, including the homeless and those with substance abuse. There are theological, moral, and contextual factors that made the colonial period such a good setting for Protestant work ethic. Theologically, the medieval era combined religion with human services. Religious beliefs influenced their motivation. The partnership between religion and economic growth was familiar and widely accepted. In addition to guilds, medieval hospitals (usually connected to monasteries) provided an important service by offering free medical care for weary travelers, the old, orphans, and the destitute (Kroger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 27). Morally, protestant theories may have influenced the development of social welfare. To be accepted by their “God”, they must earn through serving the disadvantaged and the poor. Protestant religious beliefs influenced the separation between the “deserving” from “undeserving” poor. The worth poor were lame, the blind, orphaned children, and those unemployed through no fault of their own; the unworthy poor were vagrants, drunkards, and the slothful (Kroger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 27). Contextually, churches became a large resource because they were given responsibility of helping poor communities. The major responsibility for meeting the needs of the poor rested with the church (Kroger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 27). It became the duty of churches to improve their communities without government assistance. The passage of the Act for the Punishment of Sturdy Vagabonds and Beggars in 1536 further mandated the English government to assume limited responsibility for the poor (Kroger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 27). Although this act increased the punishment for begging, it also ordered officials to obtain resources through voluntary church donations for care for the poor, the sick, the handicapped, and the aged (Kroger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 27). Religion was highly valued and incorporated during the colonial period. This provided some economic stability for struggling communities. These values, morals, and beliefs made the colonial period a good setting for Protestant work ethic. References: Furnham, A. (1987). Predicting Protestant work ethic beliefs. European Journal of Personality, 1(2), 93–106. https://doi.org/10.1002/per.2410010204 Giorgi, L., & Marsh, C. (1990). The Protestant work ethic as a cultural phenomenon. European Journal of Social Psychology, 20(6), 499–517. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2420200605 Karger, H. K. & Stoesz, D. (2018). American social welfare policy: A pluralist approach (8th ed). Boston, MA.: Allyn and Bacon. Inmundo T RE: Unit 2.2 DB: Compassion Good Afternoon, The history of integrating social work and Christianity dates back to the nineteenth century. Christians believed in helping the poor and vulnerable in society by providing food, shelter, and employment. Arguably, during this period, most social work practitioners practiced such charity due to their religious beliefs, such as Judaism and Christianity, which advocated for compassion for the poor. The early social work began primarily with religious groups responding to the needs of a changing society attempting to better the lives of the hungry, sick, prisoners, widows, and foreigners (Hanauer, 2015). Ideally, the government responses proved insufficient, thus compelling private benevolent and self-help groups to chip in and help with the demands of the needy. These untrained social workers sought to help poor people through moral persuasion and improving their social conditions, such as providing tenement housing and child welfare (Hanauer, 2015). However, as the movement grew, there was a push to distant the religious influences and embrace societal thinking from which social workers were created. The social work profession demonstrates care for people by implementing various core values that guide their interactions with the poor. These values have their roots in Christianity. The role of Christian compassion in the social work, human services, and counseling profession has to do with the settlement of immigrant and peasant populations since the era of the Civil War, and acts such as donations, helping vulnerable population groups such as the orphans and widows, and counseling that the social work profession borrows from Christianity. After the Civil War, rapid industrial expansion propelled increased individual and community needs after a majority of the former slaves were set free and had to move (Hanauer, 2015). Settlement and immigration introduced a new organizational response in social service where the abled poor were made to work to earn a place to reside. Settlements capitalized on eliminating poverty by expanding the opportunities of the poor. Notably, this move has led to the establishment of neighborhoods in the United States through the absorption of new immigrants (Trattner, 1998). They encompass friendly and open households where members of the privileged classes can reside, providing a golden opportunity for social workers. This phenomenon offers a chance for them to share their Christian values as a means of helping the poor. Notably, the residents of these houses are postulated to be the most significant beneficiaries since they learn a lot from their neighbors. Social workers also borrow from Christian activities such as tithing and donations, which benefit the less privileged in society (Trattner, 1998). Most social workers are believers who join efforts and create charity organizations that lead to the creation of orphanages. This step shoulders them with the responsibility of caring for the orphans, thus practicing their profession in totality. They also follow the deeds of Christ of doing good by promoting the well-being of children and their families. Religion plays a prominent role in providing a moral compass to social workers, enabling them to have affection towards others and support the poor (Trattner, 1998). Social workers can counsel the emotionally depressed through church ministries, an act that also assists in boosting their career knowledge and skills. References Hanauer, A. (2015). The Influence of Policy [Video File]. Retrieved from Trattner, W. (1998). From Poor Law to Welfare State, 6th Edition: A History of Social Welfare in America [Ebook] (6th ed., p. 464). Free Press. Darren E RE: Unit 2.2 DB: Compassion Hello class and Professor There are deep religious roots in the profession of social work, human services and counseling and it is not really common sense that we should appreciate the existence of Christianity as it relates to the profession. From its early beginnings, Judaism contained strict laws for dealing with the poor and forgiving tzedakah (Hebrew for charity), which helped form the basis of the modern world welfare state (Karger & Stoesz, 2017). For example, “Jewish law required farmers to leave a minimum of one-sixtieth of their field crops unharvested” which were left for the poor and discouraged dependency by encouraging the poor to be competitive in gathering the peah (the standing allotment) and each were allowed to take the amount they could gather (Karger & Stoesz, 2017). In this instance, consideration was given to the poor in a charitable manner which caused others to possibly evaluate their thought process of charity and the poor, whether the worthy poor or unworthy poor. Most Jews were devout in their beliefs, values and faith in Jewish law that they did not disagree with the mandates imposed to distribute earnings to the poor in an effort to keep them from extreme impoverishment. Jewish charity customs were heavily developed into the Christian ministries and became an important source of relief for the poor during the sixth century, and funds to run charitable endeavors came from rents received from church lands, donations, endowments, collections and tithes (Karger & Stoesz, 2017). Many believed that the Christian compassion was ultimately centered on showing the love of God to all people and the pathway to heaven through concrete acts of love (Kosloski, 2019). During the 1900’s where the Charitable Organization Societies were in most American cities, representatives and volunteers began examining needy applicants to decide on the course of action, though this system seemed less generous with the workers still looking at recipients as slothful, dependent and counterproductive (Karger & Stoesz, 2017). This truly did not demonstrate a compassionate stance as sometimes it was difficult for worker to maintain a Christian disposition when they were faced with negative or immoral behaviors with recipients. Settlement houses were emerging as a result of harsh urban conditions forcing immigrants and low income neighborhoods to be purchased by wealthy people and staffed by college students, single women, teachers, etc. As such, these houses attempted to bridge the class differences and develop a less patronizing form of assistance. From the early development of social work and human services, it became clear that many (though not all) practitioners were called to become social workers because of their faith as many of them were Christians from a multitude of demoninations. As society grew with more need for assistance with the poor, charity and Christian belief became an even more intrical part of the human services and counseling profession. As in the code of ethics for social workers and counselors, compassion and empathy are a must to embrace. This professional field can not be worked from a frame reference of monetary gain, especially through a government agency, but must be a “calling” indeed to help others. Christianity and compassion go hand-in-hand and is be open to all those who suffer regardless of their situation or attitude and even to the most hardened sinner (Kosloski, 2019). The Jewish charity was highly organized in Biblical times and definitely gave way for a more advanced Christian outlook towards the poor. In today’s society, their are arguably varying views of who should or should not receive assistance as the system has become corrupt with those who have made receiving assistance a lifestyle. However, with structural changes and investigating cases as an individualistic whole, improvements can be sought. We as counseling and human service professionals should always be mindful of our opinions, judgments or attitudes towards the poor and be mindful that this profession is not about us, but those we serve. Christian compassion is very much a part of our journey here. References: Karger, H. K. and Stoesz, D. (2018). American Social Welfare Policy: A Pluralist Approach (8th Edition). Boston, MA. Allyn and Bacon. Kosloski, Phillip (2019). What is the Place of Compassion in Christianity. Aleteia. Spirituality. Inmundo T RE: Unit 2.3 DB: Social Darwinism Good afternoon, , The Impact of Social Darwinism on Social Welfare in America Social Darwinism is a theory that seeks to apply the principles of evolution to the development of social history. Societies have competed with each other to prevail. As a result, Social Darwinism has impacted the social welfare in American society, as evidenced by social policies (increasing efforts to address social challenges attributed to industrialization) such as the Great Depression. This paper seeks to examine the impact of social policy changes on social security and education to improve the capitalist nature of American society. Social Security Industrialization and migration led to social problems. As a result, government policies and programs were formed. For instance, the American social welfare program played a significant role in advocating for the care of vulnerable populations. The Social Security Act of 1935 is one of the frameworks for social welfare state witnessed in the current era. The Social Security program was formed to address the social needs of the poor elderly above 65 years who had no work, no savings or pension, by providing them with monthly payments (CrashCourse, 2016). The program helped prevent the elderly from falling into abject poverty by redistributing wealth from the young working population to the elderly through income, food, and energy taxes. As a result, the American community evolved from an undeveloped country to a highly developed nation. Education Americans have established systems for education. After the Civil War, the American population lacked education, skills and training to prepare them for the new status of post-war life from slavery to freedom. Initiatives were developed to equip people for the new status. Black schools which were financially supported were formed (Trattner, 2022). All these transformations represented an evolution. Besides, the Bilingual Education Act of 1968 improved education finances to cater for learners affected by language barriers. As a result, America evolved from being an uneducated agrarian to a highly educated industrial society over the years. Conclusion In America, the interaction of Darwinian social theory and social welfare is a typical national struggle to correct pitfalls and perfect the capitalist society. Social welfare has been impacted by industrialization. Currently, the American government has social policies to address education and social security needs. References CrashCourse. (2016, February 27). Social Policy: Crash Course Government and Politics #49. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlxLX8Fto_A. Trattner, W. I. (2022). From Poor Law to Welfare State, 6th Edition: A History of Social Welfare in America by Walter I. Trattner (2013–04-22). Free Press Shannon C RE: Unit 2.3 DB: Social Darwinism Professor and class, In this discussion, the author must explain how Social Darwinism has and continues to impact social welfare in America. She must provide at least two unique examples. Social Darwinism aligns with Charles Darwin’s theory of natural selection. Social Darwinism, as it was called, a happy union of laissez-faire economics and the doctrine of the struggle for existence and survival of the fittest, became the prevailing philosophy of the era (Trainer, 1994, p. 118-119). The “fittest” of the species will continue to reproduce and survive, while the “weak” eventually become extinct. In relation to social work, it is theorized the poor will eventually over populate the wealthy creating an economic disaster. Social Darwinists believed that the poor would eventually overrun society and lower the general level of civilization (Karger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 31). Society began to question if enabling sloth behaviors are beneficial for a society’s longevity. Subsidizing the poor and allowing them to survive and reproduce circumvented the law of natural selection, and because the poor reproduced more rapidly than the middle class, society was funding its own demise (Karger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 31). If the poor are unable to sustain themselves, society should abide by the laws of natural selection and not aid them. It is suggested this may weaken the human gene pool. Social Darwinists believed that the poor must pay the price demanded by nature and be allowed to die out (Karger & Stoesz, 2018, p. 31). The theoretical principles of Social Darwinism is likely to impact social welfare in America. Darwinists found no place in their general scheme of things for public support of education, or for sanitary regulation, a public mail system, regulation of business or trade, or, least of all, for public assistance to the needy (Trattner, 1994, p. 119). Thankfully, Christian compassion enabled many Americans to use social darwinism to improve the social welfare system. More important, America was a Christian nation with a charitable impulse and tradition that was too strong to be eliminated (Trattner, 1994, p. 119). In-home visits, or “friendly visitors” is the first impact social darwinism had on American welfare. Friendly visitors were volunteers that may provide psychological assistance to poor families. Essentially, their goal was to educate and inspire families so they could too achieve economic success. Too, friendly visitors intervened in the lives of the poor by virtue of a presumed wisdom and superiority while, at the same time, professing to conceive of their charges as personal friends—an impossibility, for moral uplift is far from friendship (Trattner, 1994, p. 129). Collectively, it was understood there may be various barriers that force families to live in poverty, not just simple laziness. Therefore, there is not a distinguished “worthy” vs. “unworthy” poor and everyone who requested aid should receive it. They began to see the difficulty, for example, in trying to distinguish between the worthy and the unworthy poor when no amount of verbal effort could raise the income of a family to a subsistence level, or when a depression, which occurred like clockwork in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century America, threw several million people out of work (Trattner, 1994, p. 129). This realization changed the perspectives of the charity organization societies. It became quite clear, then, that preconceived notions about the poor had to be discarded, or at least seriously reconsidered; the needy were not all alike, members of the “dangerous” or “depraved” classes (Trattner, 1994, p. 129). This perspective has continued to impact the social welfare in America. In modern day social work practices, home visits are completed by case workers to ensure clients are receiving the help they need to be successful. If a client is deemed poor, psychological assessments my be utilized to help determine the barriers (i.e., mental health, abuse), rather than deeming the family unworthy. The rise of the social work profession is another impact social darwinism has on social welfare in America. The perspectives of the poor changed because, it was clear poverty and unemployment were not always a result of poor character. As a result, the friendly visitors compiled comprehensive data on the social and economic problems of the poor, the real poverty-producing factors that had little to do with the sufferers’ character (Trattner, 1994, p. 121). Their investigations uncovered information on involuntary unemployment, industrial accidents, and low wages, not on intemperance, improvidence, and the like (Trattner, 1994, p. 121). There became an increased interest in exploring the clients psyche, to uncover potential scientific reasonings. To complete this affectively, volunteers were encouraged to further their education. This push resulted in the social work profession. In addition to gathering specific information on the real causes of poverty and dependency and fostering new concepts of treating them, organized charity agents contributed to the development of a technique of social service and research—casework—and with it, the growth of a profession (Trattner, 1994, p. 123). This encouraged workers to utilize objective information rather than subjective biases. The inevitable tendency of scientific charity, with its individualistic orientation, the very thing so many critics deplored, was to emphasize the objective and factual rather than the deductive and discretionary approach to social questions (Trattner, 1994, p. 123). Since most visitors were untrained, the push for education and research increased. It became increasingly clear that the gathering and interpreting of factual material, the technical character of many of the services that had to be performed, and the consistency of effort required in case treatment—really putting the “scientific” into scientific philanthropy, in other words—could be achieved only by full-time workers with education, experience, and professional discipline (Trattner, 1994, p. 123). This led to the creation of training schools for charity workers, the demise of volunteer service, and the rise of a social work profession (Trattner, 1994, p. 123). Had there not been a push for workers to develop themselves professionally, discrimination and biases were likely to impede on the American welfare system. References: Karger, H. K. & Stoesz, D. (2018). American social welfare policy: A pluralist approach (8th ed). Boston, MA.: Allyn and Bacon. Trattner, W.I. (1994). From poor law to welfare state (6th ed.). New York: The Free Press.