This set consists of the major writings of the Rev Dr Thomas Chalmers (1780-1847), the eminent churchman, political economist and social reformer whose influence extended far beyond his native Scotland. Through the changes associated with industrialization and urbanization, Chalmers was a stalwart advocate of the voluntary principle in Scottish poor relief - one of the traditional responsibilities of the parishes of the post-Reformation Established Church of Scotland. That, however, was only one aspect of his more comprehensive vision of society so organized that, in the midst of the changes of his age, it would recover a sense of individual and communal responsibility. The selections from his writings included in this set illustrate both his role as a social theorist and a practical exponent of innovative programmes of social reform.