Introduction
PART 1 What are charities, and why do we argue
about them?
The many faces of charities
What has gone wrong?
‘Stick to your knitting’: the curbs on campaigning
PART 2 Changing the world
The health of the nation
Equality, slavery and human rights
Rights for women and gay liberation
Protecting animals and the natural world
PART 3 I mproving lives and communities
Local action and self-help
Supporting other people
The wider world
Community arts
PART 4 A junior partner in the welfare state?
Public service contracts
Reducing the burden on the state
Charities as pioneers
PART 5 Preserving the past, preparing for the future
Castles, canals and stately homes
Museums and the perils of charitable status
The minefield of charitable education
Pushing the boundaries of medicine and science
Part 6 The way ahead
Reviews and strategies
Charity governance: fit for purpose?
Coming clean with the public
The pursuit of independence
Postscript