tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post6524172456401377448..comments2024-03-28T22:32:50.562+00:00Comments on Liberal England: A reminder that the state is a bad parentJonathan Calderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00730157683743989696noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post-48906172901293111252012-02-26T19:17:25.826+00:002012-02-26T19:17:25.826+00:00Oh, that wasn't meant to be anonymous. 't...Oh, that wasn't meant to be anonymous. 'twas me, Jock!jockox3https://www.blogger.com/profile/13638212593460202234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6606798.post-1830743517043796702012-02-25T00:24:09.545+00:002012-02-25T00:24:09.545+00:00Heh - I was reading "From Mutual Aid to the W...Heh - I was reading "From Mutual Aid to the Welfare State" by David Beito a couple of weeks ago. It's all about the mutual/fraternal/friendly societies and their demise as state institutions took over their work.<br /><br />There's a great story about something called Mooseheart, a "children's city" established by the "Loyal Order of the Moose", one such mainly working class friendly societies, to care of children who have lost one or more parent who was a member.<br /><br />It was established in the early twenties, and soon had 1300 kids, living in as close to a family environment as they could manage to provide.<br /><br />By the early thirties 35% of its residents were graduating into higher education, at a time when in the general population it was more like 7%.<br /><br />Alas the Order itself is more of a charitable club these days, and its members fees pay for the continuing Mooseheart together with some retirement homes that were originally for retired workers who were members when it was a friendly society proper. But Mooseheart goes from strength to strength albeit not simply serving the orphans of Moose order insured members.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com