Crimes of Charity

"Crimes of Charity" by Konrad Bercovici is a critical look at the world of organized charity during the early 1900s. The book presents a harsh view of how poor people are treated by charities that are meant to help them. It shows the problems and ironies inside these organizations, which often seem more interested in themselves than in the people they serve. The book starts off by introducing characters involved in the charity system, like investigators and people applying for help, showing how cold and uncaring the rules and procedures can be. A key plot point arrives early on in the form of a story about a kind man whose good deeds are ruined by his selfish sibling, setting a tone of disappointment and deceit, which leads into the protagonist's experiences as an investigator within a charitable organization, unveiling a dark reality where the needy are met with distrust and contempt. Through this protagonist, we see that the so-called kindness of charity can actually cause more pain than relief, as he comes to terms with his part in this unfair process.