voluntaryism
(ˈvɒləntərɪɪz(ə)m)
[f. prec.]
1. The principle or tenet that the Church and educational institutions should be supported by voluntary contributions instead of by the State.
Freq. from c 1850. (Cf. voluntarism.)
| 1835 (title), Picture of Slavery in the United States of America, with a Practical Illustration of Voluntaryism and Republicanism. 1845 J. Martineau Misc. (1852) 146 The voluntaryism of the Independents,..the National endowment of Coleridge and Chalmers. 1866 Geo. Eliot F. Holt Introd. 8 They had not at least given in to schismatic rites, and were free from the errors of Voluntaryism. 1869 M. Arnold Cult. & An. (1882) 70 Abolition of church-rates, voluntaryism in religion and education. |
2. Any system which rests upon voluntary action or principles. Now usu. with reference to voluntary labour. Cf. volunteerism 2.
Also with reference to military service.
| 1883 Chalmers & Hough Bankruptcy Act Introd. p. ix, Official assignees..were..totally abolished, and the public entered once more on a system of voluntaryism. 1946 Organisation & Finance Adult Educ. (Min. Educ.) 36 We are unanimously of the opinion that voluntaryism as exemplified by the Workers' Educational Association is essential if the spirit of adult education is to be preserved. 1967 Listener 1 June 709/2 In the light of the present arguments about the prices and incomes policy, Bevin's insistence on what he called ‘voluntaryism’ is most significant... Bevin resisted strong pressures in parliament to conscript labour on the home front. |