Christian Socialism - The Promise of an Almost Forgotten Tradition

Christian Socialismarose in England in the mid-nineteenth century as a response to the philosophyof ''political economy''. Seeking a reform of the moral underpinnings of society,not simply institutional change or nationalisation, it refuted the assumptionthat people are essentially selfish, competitive individuals seeking nothingbut personal happiness. Although they did not deny the presence of selfishness,its proponents believed that the social nature of humankind lies deeper thansuch egotism and conflict, and pursued a society built on this belief.