The Acquisitive Society

"The Acquisitive Society" by R. H. Tawney is a sociopolitical analysis that critiques a society centered on individual economic gain, suggesting it can cause societal breakdown. Examining how property and purpose have become disconnected, Tawney pushes for a social framework that values community duty above profits. The book starts by looking at the character of English society as active but not very thoughtful and stresses the need to judge the morality of economic actions. It puts forth that societies must rethink their values and structures, particularly when things are difficult. Tawney cautions against following existing systems without question, promoting the idea that individual rights should match their responsibility to the community, and that valuable work should be more important than simply collecting wealth. In general, the beginning parts set the stage for the book's extensive criticism of materialism and individualism after the Industrial Revolution.