Donna T. Andrew Philanthropy and Police. London Charity in the Eighteenth Century. Princeton University Press, Princeton1989. x, 299 pp. $32.50.

In Philanthropy and Police, Donna T. Andrew examines the expansion of voluntary charitable organizations in 18th-century London. She challenges the notion that these initiatives were solely humanitarian, suggesting instead that they were influenced by political motives. Andrew argues that these organizations not only aimed to alleviate poverty but also sought to reinforce social order and control. By analyzing various case studies, the book provides a nuanced understanding of the interplay between philanthropy and governance during this period. It offers valuable insights into the social and political dynamics of early modern London.