In this episode we explore mutual aid: what is it, why is there so much interest in it right now and how does it relate to charity and philanthropy? Including:

• Defining the distinction between mutual aid and charity
• William Beveridge’s thoughts on mutual aid
• Peter Kropotkin and mutual aid as a fundamental element of human nature
• How does mutual aid relate to notions of solidarity and class identity?
• Why has mutual aid historically been so important for marginalised groups such as immigrant communities?
• Medieval mutual aid: the guilds
• Why did mutual aid become so prominent in the 19th century?
• What were the Friendly Societies, why were they important and why are they no longer around?
• How does mutual aid fit in with the post-WWII development of the voluntary sector?
• Why has mutual aid become so prominent as an idea during the pandemic?
• Is this a reflection of the unique circumstances of the pandemic or will it herald any longer-term changes in civil society?
• Does the enthusiasm for mutual aid networks demonstrate an unmet appetite for greater participation in addressing social causes?
• Is there a dark side to mutual aid? Can solidarity become exclusionary?
• Will the growth of mutual aid come at the cost of more traditional charitable giving and volunteering?
• Do mutual aid networks build social capital? If so, is it merely “bonding” social capital or also “bridging”?
• What is the role of technology in making mutual aid networks possible?
• What can we learn from other cultures of giving around the world in which mutual aid is much more prominent?

Related Links

• CAF Giving Thought blog, “Charity, Philanthropy & Mutual Aid”
• CAF Giving Thought blog “Philanthropy & Civil Society post-Covid: Key questions for the future”
• Excerpt from unpublished Giving Thought discussion paper on the science of giving: "Altruism, Evolution and Economics"
• CAF research on giving in East Africa
• NLGN report Communities vs. Coronavirus: The Rise of Mutual Aid
• Guardian long read, “The way we get through this is together': the rise of mutual aid under coronavirus”
• New Yorker, “What Mutual Aid Can Do During a Pandemic”
• Bloomberg, "A Visual History of Mutual Aid"
• Peter Kropotkin’s “Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution”