Why Charity? The Case for a Third Sector.

Douglas shows how such institutions as universities, charities, trade unions, and religious missions are a logical outcome of the limitations of both market economics and democratic politics. They form a Third Sector that is neither commercial, nor governmental, that acts to ameliorate the imbalances caused by both the ballot box and the marketplace -- the two main ways by which Western societies order priorities. Douglas draws on the law of charities, welfare economics, moral philosophy, political theory, and the history of charities to create an original rationale for the Third Sector. 'For its brilliant and succinct theoretical analysis this book could be read with profit by both undergraduate and graduate students in political science and economics, as well as by their professors.' -- Choice, January 1984 '...a provocative essay on charity and the nonprofit sector. It is timely not only because of recent governmental cutbacks in support for nonprofit organizations, but also because of sociologists' recent interest in alternative modes of resource allocation.' -- Contemporary Sociology, Vol 13 No 3, May 1984 '...the author has transcended disciplinary boundaries to compose what is clearly the best integrative summary now available. It is pertinent not only to students of social thought but also to decision makers who require a clear conception of the special place of voluntary organizations in order to formulate and defend sensible positions for future policy.' -- Foundation News, September/October 1984 '(The author) has written a very good book on an important topic about which we know little...(The author), a political scientist, skillfully blends the economic and political analysis of this important (voluntary) sector of the economy to develop deep and true insights and to reach valid and relevant conclusions.' -- Lewis E. Hill, Texas Tech University, 1985 '...a widening of the perspective now dominant in the literature which discusses only market sector versus public sector.' -- Journal of Consumer Policy 8 (1985)