Research Of The United Benefit Society Of Shanghai During The Republic Of China

Shanghai United Benefit Society,formerly known as United Benefit Material Association,was established on May 1,1918,as a private charity organization in Shanghai in the early years of the Republic of China,focusing on coffins and burials,as well as other charitable projects.After the opening of the port,Shanghai quickly became a national economic and trade center by virtue of its superior geographical location and original trade base,and attracted merchants and laborers from all over the country.The influx of immigrants promoted social and economic development,but also brought about serious social problems,such as overcrowded housing,poor environment,rising unemployment,strained medical resources,and serious road kill and road corpses.In 1918,in order to solve the problems of road kill,road corpses,and violent coffins,Lu Wenzhong joined forces with various parties and founded the Shanghai United Benefit Society.After its establishment,the association not only provided free funeral services for the poor and sick,but also opened voluntary hospitals and schools,as well as fire-fighting and winter relief,playing an important role in civil society relief.In terms of organizational structure,the Shanghai United Benefit Society adopts the system of responsibility of the chairman.The board of directors has the authority to monitor and supervise all matters within the association to ensure the efficiency and integrity of its work.There is a clear division of labor and checks and balances among all departments,so that there is a decision maker at the top and a clerk at the bottom,and there is a division of labor and cooperation and responsibility at all levels.As a non-profit organization,the funding of Shanghai United Benefit Society mainly comes from members’ dues,annual donations,monthly donations and special donations from the community.However,after several regime changes and natural and man-made disasters,and as the Society has been expanding the scale of relief,its income has been decreasing while its expenses have been increasing,so the Society has been plagued with financial problems.In order to broaden the fund-raising channels,the Society often held various activities,such as charity performances and charity sales.Through its own efforts,the Shanghai United Benefit Society not only raised funds for charity,but also promoted its own charity philosophy and strengthened communication with all walks of life.During the Republic of China period,charitable organizations,as participants in social management,were more involved in social charity relief due to the lack of government capacity for disaster relief,and Shanghai United Benefit Society was no exception.The Shanghai United Benefit Society carried out charitable relief work and spared no effort.On the one hand,the Society was active in giving coffins and burials;on the other hand,it carried out different types of relief activities according to the actual situation,such as founding hospitals,treating seasonal epidemics,opening schools,winter relief,disaster relief and so on.These charitable relief activities played an important role in maintaining the stable development of Shanghai society.As a charitable relief organization in the large coordinate system of Shanghai society in the Republic of China,the Shanghai United Benefit Society had close ties with Shanghai authorities,Shanghai merchants,and other social groups,both in its own emergence and in the development of its relief programs.They not only helped to establish the Society,but also provided it with legal protection and financial support.Without their help,the Shanghai United Benefit Society would not have survived,let alone carry out many relief operations.Due to the unique and complex social background of modern Shanghai,the Society was established in response to the social needs of the time.As a charitable organization,regardless of stability or war,prosperity or depression,Shanghai United Benefit Society always did life-saving work,which not only maintained the stability and order of Shanghai society to a certain extent,but also greatly contributed to the development of private charity in modern Shanghai.Of course,due to various conditions,the Shanghai United Benefit Society has some limitations in its development and practice.However,its existence deserves recognition for the important role it played during the Republican period and provides a lesson for us to learn from the experience of establishing charitable institutions today.