Olasky concludes: "Cultures build systems of charity in the image of the god they worship, whether distant deist, bumbling bon vivant, or ‘whatever goes' gopher. In colonial America, emphasis on a theistic God of both justice and mercy led to an understanding of compassion that was hard-headed but warm-hearted[...]Late nineteenth-century Americans who read the Bible regularly did not see God as a sugardaddy who merely felt sorry for people in distress. They saw God showing compassion while demanding change, and they tried to do the same. Groups such as the Industrial Christian Alliance noted that they used ‘religious methods' — reminding the poor that God made them and had high expectations for them — to "restore the fallen and helpless to self-respect and self-support."

This belief in restoring people to "self-respect and self-support" has led compassionate conservatives to reject the dehumanising "feed-and-forget" philosophy that has come to characterise the welfare state's attitude to its dependents. Compassionate conservatives want to see ‘help-to-change' charities and policies become the dominant response to poverty.

On the face of it, David Cameron's Big Society fits neatly with this philosophy. And the Big Society certainly has its strengths; notably the welfare-to-work programmes and greater school choice. In its approach to building up the charitable sector government policy is, however, remarkable for its continuity.