ecessors of social casework and family service agencies. Such charitable organizations had their origin in Idealist social philosophy, one of the main proponents of which was T.H. Green. Idealist social philosophy is often referred to as New Liberalism.
New Liberalism redefined the concept of liberty in light of its relation to citizenship and community: "In effect, the community becomes a source of value independently of the subjective preferences of atomized individuals" (Barry, 1990, p. 36). In New Liberalism thought, freedom was interconnected with the pursuit of worthwhile activities for the common good. Although Green did not endorse a welfare state, he believed the state was responsible for removing the barriers to the achievement of the good life. In terms of communal action, Green advocated volunteer welfare efforts: "Indeed, Green's followers were heavily engaged in social work in the deprived areas of London and instrumental in setting up the Charity Organization Society" (Barry, 1990, p. 37).
Although founded in London, Charity Organization Societies also were founded in the United States and Canada. Volunteers were trained and supervised in visiting the poor, unemployed, physically incapcitated, and otherwise needy members of society. The goal of these "friendly visits" was to enable the individuals and families to become economically self-sufficient. Many of the services performed by the "friendly visitors" were similar to those of present-day social workers. Not only did the Charity Organization Societies attend to the needs of the destitute, the organization maintained a central registry to avoid duplication of services and to coordinate activities among the various relief agencies.
The 19th century also saw the emergence of social group work and community organiz
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