公民意识的兴起:一战时期英国慈善活动的新发展

The Rise of Civic Awareness:New Development of Charitable Activities in Britain During World WarⅠ

第一次世界大战期间,英国前线战场与后方民众之间出现了前所未有的密切联系。在志愿参军之余,后方民众对前线的支持大都汇入到各种慈善活动中。民众的积极参与使慈善活动拥有了国家立场表现出明显的爱国主义情感,对责任的认知促使不同阶层的人在慈善活动中不断交融,打破了原有的阶级固化,并直接增强了慈善与政府公共行为的合作。战时慈善的这些变化有力昭示了英国公民意识的兴起,即对国家的认可以及对作为国家公民责任的认知。这种公民意识,不同于传统的道德责任,不仅使慈善机构成为英国汇聚社会力量、弥补政府功能不足的重要渠道,也为此后慈善活动的发展提供了新动力。

During the First World War,there was an unprecedented closeness between the battle front and the home front.In addition to volunteering for the army,much of the support from the home front was channelled into various charitable activities.The active participation of the people gave charity a national stance and a distinct patriotism emotion,and the perception of national responsibility led to the intermingling of people from different ranks in the charitable activities,breaking down old class solidarities,and directly enhancing the cooperation between charity and governmental public action.These changes in wartime charity were a powerful indicator of the British civic awareness,that is,a recognition of the state and a sense of duty as a citizen.This civic awareness,unlike traditional moral consciousness,not only made charity an important channel for bringing society together and compensating for the lack of government function,but also provided a new impetus for the development of charitable activity thereafter.