The Tragedy of American Compassion

In this book, Marvin Olasky critiques the modern welfare state and private charities for their ineffective and often harmful approaches to addressing poverty.

He argues that historical methods of charity, which emphasized personal and communal involvement, moral demands, and spiritual support, were more effective.

Olasky identifies seven key elements of successful welfare practices from the past: affiliation, bonding, categorization, discernment, employment, freedom, and belief in God. He advocates for a return to these principles to address the spiritual and moral needs of the poor, rather than just providing material aid.