Democracy and Social Ethics

"Democracy and Social Ethics" is Jane Addam's earliest book on ethics, in which she reflects on the factors that hinder the ability of all members of society to determine their own well-being. Observing relationships between charitable workers and their clients, between factory owners and their employers, and between household employers and their servants, Jane Addams identifies sources of friction and shows how conceiving of democracy as a social obligation can lead to new, mutually beneficial lines of conduct. In "Democracy and Social Ethics," Addams also considers the proper education of workers, struggles between parents and their adult daughters over conflicting family and social claims, and the merging of politics with the daily lives of constituents. Anyone who wants to know why we have a forty hour work, minimum wage laws, social security disability laws, age discrimination laws, social security laws, welfare laws, and large education budgets should read "Democracy and Social Ethics," where Addams tells about people earning pennies an hour, having their peak earning years in their twenties, being disabled in their thirties, and being dependent on children for financial support. The children, in turn had their education stop before high school so they can support their families.