'For a book written 130 years ago, it is surprisingly contemporary – except for some of the language he used.' Photo: William Booth, courtesy of the George Grantham Bain collection at the Library of Congress
Affirmative action: Robert Ashton finds a helpful charity
‘It prompted me to think more deeply about race, prejudice and our testimony to equality.’
by Robert Ashton
14th April 2023
I’ve recently been reading William Booth’s excellent book In Darkest England. First published in 1890, Booth writes about recycling, food banks, and enterprises that create employment for people in poverty. Then, these were radical ideas; today they are commonplace. Booth, of course, founded the Salvation Army, and so knew what he was writing about. For a book written 130 years ago, it is surprisingly contemporary – except for some of the language he used.
