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46-534: Widely known as Kupat Holim Clalit , it was established in 1911 as a mutual aid society . When the State of Israel was founded in 1948, Clalit was instrumental in providing medical care for the massive influx of new immigrants. Today, it is the largest provider of public and semi-private health services in Israel. Under Israeli law, it is run as a not-for-profit entity. The foundations for Kupat Holim Clalit were laid by

92-483: A board similarly elected. Fraternal benefit societies provide insurance benefits to their members including life insurance and endowments, annuities, disability, hospital, medical and nursing benefits, and such other benefits authorized for life insurers that are not inconsistent with the general fraternal laws. In the 21st century, fraternal benefit societies remain active in the United States. In addition to

138-652: A foothold fresh from having attained political independence it did not foresee. Several important riots in Malayan history had prompted the colonial government to respond. These riots include the Penang Riots of 1867 (which involved the Ghee Hin ) and the Post Office Riots of 1876. The Societies Ordinance of 1889 was introduced as an attempt at suppression. In the early 19th century, secret societies posed

184-516: A large part of the working population. With the introduction in the early twentieth century of state social welfare programs, and industrial, health and welfare regulation, the influence and membership of benefit societies have declined in importance but remain significant. Nevertheless, in many countries, for example in Europe, mutual benefit societies continue to provide statutory and supplementary healthcare coverage. Peter Kropotkin posited early in

230-498: A morally uplifting and ethical manner. Conviviality and benevolence are important principles. Fraternal societies differed from public and private hierarchical aid organizations by employing an "ethical principle of reciprocity." This removed the stigma of charity. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries benefit societies in the form of friendly societies and trade unions were essential in providing social assistance for sickness and unemployment, and improving social conditions for

276-448: A result of the fraternal desire of men to cooperate for their mutual welfare and happiness, and that the benefit plan they introduced followed an innate prompting to protect their dependents.” The Model Fraternal Code which has been adopted in some form by most states defines fraternals as follows: Section 1. FRATERNAL BENEFIT SOCIETIES. Any incorporated society, order, or supreme lodge, without capital stock, including one exempted under

322-540: A security issue in the city-state. However many smaller groups remain today which attempt to mimic societies of the past. The membership of these societies is largely adolescent. Despite fading from contemporary Singaporean society, these secret societies hold great relevance to Singapore's modern history . The founding of the city-state in 1819 saw the arrival of thousands of Chinese, thereby transplanting to Singapore social systems already present in China itself. Although

368-639: A shared ethnic background, religion, occupation, geographical region, or other basis. Benefits may include financial security or assistance for education, unemployment, birth of a baby, sickness and medical expenses, retirement, and funerals. Often benefit societies provide a social or educational framework for members and their families to support each other and contribute to the wider community. Examples of benefit societies include trade unions , burial societies , friendly societies , cooperatives , credit unions , self-help groups , landsmanshaftn , immigrant hometown societies , fraternal organizations built upon

414-574: A significant threat to law and order in Singapore. The early Chinese immigrants' clandestine activities and occasional turf wars proved too much of a problem for the British authorities. The British authorities were therefore obliged to curb the growing problem. They employed a number of methods, both on purpose and not, to check the growth of secret societies. This resulted in the decline of secret societies. The transfer of authority over Singapore from

460-465: Is at the same time of a beneficial and fraternal character because they aim to improve the condition of a class of persons who are engaged in a common pursuit and to unite them by a stronger bond of sympathy and interest. As indicated in this case, a fraternal benefit society is required to have a "common bond" among its members. Further, a society is required to specify in its laws the eligibility standards for membership, as well as classes of membership,

506-427: Is considered to be the leading judicial pronouncement of what constitutes a fraternal society. A fraternal-beneficial society would be one whose members have adopted the same, or a very similar calling, avocation, or profession, or who are working in unison to accomplish some worthy object, and who for that reason have banded themselves together as an association or society to aid and assist one another, and to promote

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552-561: The Indian Government to the colonial office in London is considered by most to be the most important factor that helped the British colonial government check the growth of secret societies. The elevation of Singapore to a Crown Colony meant that London was willing to spend money and resources and provide proper administrators which it had been unprepared to do. Thus, Singapore was given a significantly larger priority, and only with

598-637: The United States each year around age-old models of ad hoc mutual aid. Benefit societies, fraternal benefit societies or "fraternals" are not-for-profit membership organizations that have a representative form of government and are organized through a lodge system, commonly represented in the societies of North America . to carry out social, intellectual, educational, charitable, benevolent, moral, fraternal, patriotic or religious purposes. "Fraternals" provide members with life insurance and other financial protection benefits following state law and use

644-414: The 20th century that mutual aid affiliations predate human culture and are as much a factor in evolution as is the " survival of the fittest " concept. Oaths, secret signs and knowledge, and regalia were historically an important part of many benefit societies but declined in use in most benefit societies during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Conversely, signs and ceremonies have become

690-604: The Chinese Protectorate let the British sustain, for the first time in history of singapore, a satisfactory relationship with the Chinese community. Pickering was known affectionately as daren (大人), Chinese for 'Sir'. The Protectorate effectively became a legitimate alternative where migrants could come and try solve their problems, instead of putting it forward to the societies for a normally violent conclusion. It thus helped to deter many new immigrants from increasing

736-659: The Free African Society was established in 1787 by two African American former slaves , Absalom Jones and Richard Allen. These two men were Methodist converts from evangelical masters, who permitted these men to purchase their freedom in the early 1780s. Mutual aid was a foundation of social welfare in the United States until the early 20th Century. Early societies not only shared material resources but often advanced social values related to self-reliance and moral character. Many fraternal organizations were first organized as mutual aid societies when government at

782-485: The Histadrut has been severed. Clalit runs its own network of hospitals in Israel (although it provides services, especially emergency care, for members of the other national health funds as well). It operates 14 hospitals, including psychiatric hospitals and a rehabilitation hospital, all of them university-affiliated. Clalit runs over 1,300 primary care clinics as well as a network of pharmacies and dental clinics. It

828-778: The Judea Workers' Health Fund, established at a convention of the Federation of Workers in Judea in December 1911. Historically, Clalit was affiliated with the Histadrut labor movement. To be a member of Clalit, one had to join the Histadrut. The name "Clalit" means "general" in Hebrew and derives from the Histadrut's full name – HaHistadrut Ha Klalit shel HaOvdim B'Eretz Yisrael ( lit. "The General Federation of Laborers in

874-570: The Land of Israel"). In January 1995, Israel's national health insurance law went into effect, creating a compulsory health care system based on four service providers: Clalit, Leumit , Maccabi , and Meuhedet . Clalit is the largest of the four health funds with around 4.6 million insured members, representing slightly over half of the Israeli population in 2020. Since the 1995 law went into effect, membership has been open to all citizens and its tie to

920-409: The colonial era. This perception was strengthened by several factors, including the inability of the colony's administration to control their activities, the branding of arrested society members as "criminal gangsters" by the media and an upsurge in violent crime in the 19th Century sparked by a few society members. These factors came together during the same period in which the country was trying to gain

966-459: The colonial government could monitor the activities of the secret societies closely. This prevented the Chinese immigrants from joining the secret societies, causing it to reduce in influence in Singapore in the 19th century. In 1843, there were only 133 police personnel. Even if the army of 595 men was brought in, they were still no match for the Chinese community consisting of 32,132 people (most of whom were secret society members). Thomas Dunman ,

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1012-415: The common cause. The term "fraternal" can properly be applied to such an association, for the reason that the pursuit of a common object, calling, or profession usually tends to create a brotherly feeling among those who are thus engaged. *** Many of these associations make a practice of assisting their sick and disabled members, and of extending substantial aid to the families of deceased members. Their work

1058-475: The earnings to fund member-supported community activities. Fraternals are chartered by state law and have been exempt from income tax under Section 501(c)(8) of the United States Tax Code since 1909. Fraternal Benefit Societies trace their lineage back through mutual societies , friendly societies and eventually to medieval guilds . Many fraternal benefit societies were founded to serve

1104-909: The emergency exists. Ad hoc mutual aid associations have been seen organized among strangers facing shared challenges in such disparate settings as the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival in New York in 1969, during the Beijing Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 , for neighborhood defense during the Los Angeles Riots of 1992, and work of the organization Common Ground Collective which formed in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The Rainbow Family organizes gatherings in National Forests of

1150-430: The extent of private charity, says: "New York is, I firmly believe, the most charitable city in the world. Nowhere is there so eager a readiness to help ..." Medieval guilds were an early basis for many Western benefit societies. A guild charter document from 1200 states: This charter shows the importance of 'brotherhood', and the principles of discipline, conviviality, and benevolence. The structure of fraternity in

1196-422: The first Commissioner of Police , wrote that his police force was underpaid and drew salaries lower than the average coolies. By 1865, there were 385 policemen to 50,043 Chinese, but the ratio of policemen to Chinese was still too few to be effective. This was compounded by the fact that no one in the police force was qualified to deal with the Chinese. The officers' posts were held by Europeans while Indians made up

1242-441: The guild forms the basis for orders such as Freemasonry and other fraternal orders , friendly societies and modern trade unions . Joining such an organization a member gained the 'freedom' of the craft and the exclusive benefits that the organization could confer on members. Historically, benefit societies have emphasized the importance of social discipline, in conforming to the rules of the organization and society, and acting in

1288-595: The local offshoots adopting an organisational structure mirroring the parent organisation. The Hongmen , the first secret society to be established in Singapore, traced its origins to the Tiandihui in Fujian. Despite their founding principles of mutual assistance and bonding, secret societies have, over time, come to conjure up impressions of violence and disorder. This association, perhaps exaggerated, has been encouraged by law enforcement officers since their formation in

1334-426: The local police force. This was an important factor that helped check the growth of secret societies. The police force started to receive more funding, better equipment and proper training. All these made the police force a much more effective force than it had been under the rule of the British. Even more significant was the hiring of Chinese police officers who could understand and deal with the problems associated with

1380-599: The mainstay of fraternal societies that no longer focus as much on mutual aid. Many of the features of benefit organizations today have been assimilated into organizations that rely on the corporate and political structures of our time. Insurance companies, religious charities, credit unions, and democratic governments now perform many of the same functions that were once the purview of ethnically- or culturally-affiliated mutual benefit associations. New technologies have provided yet more new opportunities for humanity to support itself through mutual aid. Recent authors have described

1426-778: The models of fraternal orders such as the Freemasons and the Oddfellows , some coworking communities , and many others. A benefit society can be characterized by Examples of benefit societies can be found throughout history, including among secret societies of the Tang Dynasty in China and African-Americans during the post-revolutionary years, such as those who organized the Free African Society of Philadedelphia . Philadelphia's first black organization,

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1472-520: The mutual benefits provided to members, many fraternal benefit societies engage in charitable and volunteer efforts of lodge members in the broader community. more than 80 fraternal benefit societies are operating in the United States and Canada today, with over 9 million members and with $ 380 billion of life insurance in force. Secret societies in Singapore#Early origins Secret societies in Singapore have been largely eradicated as

1518-800: The needs of immigrants and other under-served groups who shared common bonds of religion, ethnicity, gender, occupation or shared values. The first modern American fraternal benefit society was the Ancient Order of United Workmen , founded by John J. Upchurch in 1868. "The Order of Knights of Pythias is a great international fraternity which was founded in Washington, DC, February 19, 1864, by Justus H. Rathbone..." The Knights had an "Endowment Rank" which included life, health and disability insurance. As Walter Bayse wrote in his history of fraternals: “the American fraternal system had its beginning as

1564-619: The networked affiliations that produce collaborative projects . In modern Asia rotating credit associations organized within communities or workplaces were widespread through the early twentieth century and continue in our time. Habitat for Humanity in the United States is a leading example of shared credit and labor pooled to help low-income people afford adequate housing. In post- disaster reactions, formal benefit societies of our time often lend aid to others outside their immediate membership, while ad hoc benefit associations form among neighbors or refugees, generally lasting only as long as

1610-435: The process of admission, and the rights and privileges of members. A fraternal benefit society operates under a lodge system if it has a supreme governing body and subordinate lodges into which members are elected, initiated, or admitted under its laws. A society has a representative form of government if its supreme governing body is an assembly composed of delegates elected directly by members or intermediate assemblies, or

1656-493: The provisions of Section 38(a)(2) of this Article whether incorporated or not, conducted solely for the benefit of its members and their beneficiaries and not for profit, operated on a lodge system with ritualistic form of work, having a representative form of government, and which provides benefits following this Article, is hereby declared to be a fraternal benefit society. The court's opinion in National Union v. Marlow

1702-433: The rank and file. No Chinese were employed because of their possible dealings with secret societies. Thus, the police force was ignorant of the language and ways of the Chinese, which was also the most volatile community. So ineffective was the police force that the wealthy had to hire private watchmen and carry personal arms to ensure their own safety. However, after Singapore became a Crown Colony, large improvements made to

1748-442: The secret societies were commonly associated with violence, extortion and vice, they also played a part in building a social fabric for early Chinese migrants in Singapore. They were given leeway to control the Chinese populace due to the hands-off policy adopted by the British colonial government, who hoped to create stability. The secret societies formed in Singapore can be traced to mid-18th century Fujian province in China, with

1794-471: The secret societies. The establishment of the Chinese Protectorate is yet another factor that led to the societies' growth being checked. The first Chinese Protector, William Pickering , maintained close contact with the Chinese immigrant community and provided them with assistance. Being fluent in written and spoken Mandarin as well as in other varieties of Chinese , Pickering looked after

1840-400: The societies, and not the individual members, to be registered, the police attracted people to go to provide insight on the actual strength of the societies. 10 societies, 618 office bearers and 12371 members were registered in the first round of registrations. This ordinance also accorded the colonial government the power to inspect any society that was deemed dangerous to public peace. This way

1886-492: The state and local level supplemented private aid societies more than the converse of this being true. In 1890, 112,000 American residents lived in private charitable institutions, while only 73,000 resided in public almshouses. Towards the latter part of the nineteenth century, public aid was reduced as it was seen as contributing to sloth and dependency while private aid was judiciously provided with greater checks for reform and recovery. Writing in 1890, Jacob Riis , commenting on

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1932-508: The transfer of power, could the authorities initiate the following changes. The legislation of strict laws had an enormous effect in checking the growth of the secret societies. Two significant laws were passed in the 1860s. The first was the Peace Preservation Act (also known as the banishment act) of 1867, which gave the colonial government the power to detain and deport Chinese immigrants who were convicted of crime. This

1978-564: The unique needs of a particular time and place. Many major financial institutions existing today, particularly some insurance companies, mutual savings banks , and credit unions , trace their origins back to benefit societies, as can many modern fraternal organizations and fraternal orders which are now viewed as being primarily social. The modern legal system essentially requires all such organizations of appreciable size to incorporate one of these forms or another to continue to exist on an ongoing basis. Benefit societies may be organized around

2024-450: The welfare of the newly arrived coolies, prevented coolie abuse and kept track of the numbers of coolies leaving and arriving. Pickering also licensed coolie depots. To qualify for a licence, the depots required a constant and plentiful supply of water and good ventilation. He also visited the coolies to ask them in person what their connections in Singapore were, making sure they had someone to turn to during their stay. This establishment of

2070-501: Was a major weapon against the secret societies members as it created fear and deterred the immigrants from joining the secret societies. With this law, the power of the secret societies was significantly curtailed. In 1869, the Peace Preservation Act was amended, and the Dangerous Societies Suppression Ordinance was also enacted. This required that secret societies be registered. By requiring only

2116-591: Was an early adopter of health information technology with substantial investment in electronic health records . In 2015 nearly 60% of its pediatric consultations took place over smartphones. Mutual aid society A benefit society , fraternal benefit society, fraternal benefit order, friendly society , or mutual aid organization is a voluntary association formed to provide mutual aid , benefit, for instance insurance for relief from sundry difficulties. Such organizations may be formally organized with charters and established customs or may arise ad hoc to meet

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