Communal fairness and Virtue Ethics

To understand the concept of community development and how it relates to social work practice, firstly the 'community' itself, should be defined in the context of social work. Community development is about giving people a fair and just share of available resources. This mode of practice highlights an extension of the skills and methods of social work 'direct' practice. Case work and community development, as separate modes of practice, are blended to empower the disadvantaged. This essay provides an example of problematic issues in the community and the options considered by the social worker in restoring the balance of economic and social empowerment of the community (O'Connor 1999).

Generally speaking, the 'community' is made up individuals sharing a common identity with diverse interests such as class, geographic location, culture, age or gender. Examples of communities are urban or rural townships, environmental groups, parents and citizens groups and cultural communities such as aboriginal communities. The community development worker is concerned with negotiation for the control of resources to enhance living standards of the powerless and disadvantaged in the community. Before strategies can be implemented to access the resources, the community worker must initially evaluate their approach to issues on behalf of and including the community.

Should fairness be the 'first virtue' in a political theory or only one among numerous competing political values? What cultural/ethnic/gender/racial distinctions (if any) should make a distinction in the evaluation of competing assertions and the conclusion of 'just' answers to contemporary political problems? Should fairness be understood in procedural and/or substantive terms? What is the connection between fairness and privileges claims? Should assemblies (such as cultural minorities or specific categories or communities), as distinct from persons, have rights? What are the significances of distinct anecdotes of fairness for democracy, the state, the direct of law and the international community? In analyzing these inquiries, the theoretical arguments about fairness and privileges will be analysed and directed in relative to a variety of contemporary political troubles in relation to class, rush (including the Mabo debate), ethnicity and multiculturalism, gender (including anti-discrimination and affirmative activity law), the finances, the environment and globalisation.

It is after much debate, consideration and other well-intentioned means to consign a particular conclusion, which the government of the day interprets, the facts and figures as communal principle inside a political agenda that is in turn consigned as communal welfare programs to the community.

In Britain the ...