Do Quakers get involved in business and politics?

Answer to the question: Do Quakers get involved in business or politics?

Quaker Faith & Practice - the "book of Christian discipline" - takes for granted the fact that Quakers may be involved in business, and will at least in general terms be involved in political activity.

Further extracts from Quaker Faith & Practice follow below.

The Quakers and Business Group website is here.

Q&B

"We are a growing network of Quakers and others, most of whom work in for-profit businesses. Some of us are self-employed, some own and manage our business, some work for manufacturing and service companies and some work in professional firms. Most of us are Quakers presently in membership and all of us are in sympathy with what Friends stand for in the world."

The Peace and Social Witness pages of the British national Quaker website describe a variety of social and political activity.

UK Quaker work on Public Issues is described here. The Society has a Parliamentary Liaison Secretary whose activities are described in the public issues pages.

The booklet Wrestling with the Angel from 2001 (a Quaker Swarthmore Lecture) by Tony Stoller (a former senior manager in a variety of public and private sector businesses) covers both business and politics.

Tony Stoller's wake-up call alerts us to a falling-away from our previous tradition of concern in, and support for the those engaged in, commerce and public affairs. From his own experience he argues that, just as for Jacob confronting the Angel, this engagement is not without personal risk, and involves challenges for Quaker corporate work.

In the past Quakers have had both wealth and influence - Tony challenges the reticence shown by some Quakers of today about being involved in the. His own enthusiasm indicates how fulfilling and necessary he feels it to be for the Quaker voice to be heard, both for ourselves and for society at large.

Author: Tony Stoller ISBN: 0 85245 326 4 Price: £2.00

Information accessed from the Quaker Bookshop in August 2010

Business

QF&P 20.54 Conducting business

From its earliest days our Society has laid great stress on honesty and the payment in full of debts justly incurred. Though social conditions have undergone great changes over the years of our Society's history, so that much of the advice given in the past may seem out of date, it is well to remind ourselves that the principles underlying the advice have not changed. Since we believe that all people are the children of God, we cannot take advantage of others by any form of dishonesty, whether in buying or selling goods, in business or privately, or as employees by failing to give an honest return in labour for the pay we receive. When we have received goods or services, we shall be punctual in making payment of the price agreed on, and we shall not attempt to evade our proper obligations to the community by way of taxation.
1959; 1994

QF&P 20.56 Sources and use of income (part)

The guiding principle which Friends should keep in mind in making an income, whether by work or by investment, should be the good of others and of the community at large, and not simply of themselves or their own family. Friends should, even at the risk of loss, strive to be strictly honest and truthful in their dealings; should refuse to manufacture or deal in commodities that are hurtful, and should be vigilant against obtaining an undue profit at the cost of the community...
1925; 1959; 1994

Advices & Queries 37

Are you honest and truthful in all you say and do? Do you maintain strict integrity in business transactions and in your dealings with individuals and organisations? Do you use money and information entrusted to you with discretion and responsibility? Taking oaths implies a double standard of truth; in choosing to affirm instead, be aware of the claim to integrity that you are making.

Politics (or social responsibility)

QF&P 23.02

True godliness don't turn men out of the world but enables them to live better in it and excites their endeavours to mend it... Christians should keep the helm and guide the vessel to its port; not meanly steal out at the stern of the world and leave those that are in it without a pilot to be driven by the fury of evil times upon the rock or sand of ruin.
William Penn, 1682

QF&P 23.07 part

Testimony concerning John Bright (1811-1889), who was a member of parliament for over 40 years and held ministerial office:
His deep sense of responsibility in the sight of God, and his intense human sympathy were the most powerful influences in drawing him from business into public life; and his natural nervousness was thus overcome by his sympathetic nature taking up the cause of the poor and the wronged ...
Although at one time there were grave doubts in the minds of many Friends as to whether it was desirable for members of our Society to engage in active political life ... it has been evident in John Bright's case that he entered upon it under a deep sense of duty, and that he endeavoured to carry his Christianity with him into all his public life.

QF&P 23.06

'Politics' cannot be relegated to some outer place, but must be recognised as one side of life, which is as much the concern of religious people and of a religious body as any other part of life. Nay, more than this, the ordering of the life of man in a community, so that he may have the chance of a full development, is and always has been one of the main concerns of Quakerism.
Lucy F Morland, 1919

Back to full page of common questions