Our idea of what constitutes social good has advanced with the procession of the ages, from those desperate times when just to keep body and soul together was an achievement, to the great present when "good" includes an agreeable, stable civilization accessible to all, the opportunity of each to develop his particular genius and the privilege of mutual usefulness.
Interpretation
The concept of social good has evolved over time from mere survival to the promotion of a thriving civilization that benefits everyone.
Frances Perkins highlights the significant evolution of our understanding of social good throughout history. Initially centered around mere survival, modern interpretations now encompass broader societal benefits, such as stability, equality, and the nurturing of individual talents, emphasizing the importance of mutual support and collective progress as hallmarks of a truly 'good' society.
In practice
In a speech on social justice, one could use this quote to illustrate the evolution of societal values.
Out of our first century of national life we evolved the ethical principle that it was not right or just that an honest and industrious man should live and die in misery. He was entitled to some degree of sympathy and security. Our conscience declared against the honest workman's becoming a pauper, but our eyes told us that he very often did.
The door might not be opened to a woman again for a long, long time, and I had a kind of duty to other women to walk in and sit down on the chair that was offered, and so establish the right of others long hence and far distant in geography to sit in the high seats.
The people are what matter to government, and a government should aim to give all the people under its jurisdiction the best possible life.
Society cannot continue to disable themselves through their need to categorize people or make assumptions as to another individual's abilities.
We must realize that the Reformation world view leads in the direction of government freedom. But the humanist world view with inevitable certainty leads in the direction of statism. This is so because humanists, having no god, must put something at the center, and it is inevitably society, government, or the state.
At the time of Galileo the Church remained much more reasonable than Galileo himself. The process against Galileo was reasonable and just.
Take away the contests of the martyrs, and you have taken away their crowns.
Fifty years after half a million gypsies were exterminated in the Second World War - thousands of them in Auschwitz - we're again preparing the mass killing of this minority.
I am hopeful, though not full of hope, and the only reason I don't believe in happy endings is because I don't believe in endings.
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