Abstract :
In this article, we explore the philosophical conflict between, on the one
hand, a community development politics centred on forming on forming race and
gender neutral alliances to promote pragmatic economic advance, and
on the other, one focused on recognizing the perspectives and practices
of people of colour, women and other groups who are often excluded
from grassroots movements. Using the United States as an example, we
argue that a politics for social welfare is essential to create a movement
in opposition to the devastating impacts of neoliberalism. Defending and
reconstructing the American welfare state requires a politics which
articulates (i) a theory of justice,(ii) an understanding of nature of
social reforms,(iii) a critical analysis of the state and (iv) an appreciation
of the limits of the welfare state in the context of the political economy
of advanced capitalism. We conclude with a set of questions which we
believe practitioners, activists and scholars should address if we are to
win victories while fostering the inclusion, leadership and participation of
those groups who have been systematically marginalized in community
development politics.