A Slow Process Of Attrition
Jul. 5th, 2023 08:06 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poliphilo There have never been many British Quakers. And they are becoming fewer and fewer.
I've been checking the statistics as published by the yearly general meeting.
In 1935, the earliest year for which there are published figures, total membership stood at 19,301. This included children.
In 2022, the most recent year for which there are published figures, total membership stood at 11,491. Very few of these are children.
It's more or less what I expected. The process has been slow and consistent- with no sudden and surprising upturns or reversals. It's what you see with all the churches. And also with political parties and other such bodies. The Quakers aren't exceptional in their decline. The general truth- in this country certainly and maybe throughout the western world- is this: that people are less and less willing to belong to organisations.
I've been checking the statistics as published by the yearly general meeting.
In 1935, the earliest year for which there are published figures, total membership stood at 19,301. This included children.
In 2022, the most recent year for which there are published figures, total membership stood at 11,491. Very few of these are children.
It's more or less what I expected. The process has been slow and consistent- with no sudden and surprising upturns or reversals. It's what you see with all the churches. And also with political parties and other such bodies. The Quakers aren't exceptional in their decline. The general truth- in this country certainly and maybe throughout the western world- is this: that people are less and less willing to belong to organisations.
