This book is an• extremely valuable addition to a very
important topic concerning development issues at the grassroots levels.
It has highlighted the contribution of voluntary organisations and
proved that voluntary action can• be a potent instrument for bringing
about social change, for eliminating poverty and for building an
egalitarian and humane society. In the introduction, the editors remind
the readers of the unfulfilled promises made before, and after
independence, by leaders to banish poverty and inequality. Five of the
eleven chapters in this book take a macro view of the context, the
nature as well as the future of voluntary action in India: These
articles describe the current state of affairs, the degeneration of the
values of sacrifices and an unending quest for money and political
power. So, it is argued, that basic values in public behaviour can be
restored through vigilant and purposive voluntary action. But a major
criticism of voluntary groups is their localism, small size,
fragmentation and the failure to institutionalise them. The editors are
of the view that thousands of such groups can collectively contribute to
social transformation through their modest efforts at organising help
for the needy, redress their• grievances and fight against atrocities
inflicted on them. The articles evaluate the contextual factors
influencing the emergence of voluntary organisations and their
applicability to the Indian situation.