The Social Basis of Conflict between Blind People and Agents of Rehabilitation

This paper analyzes the sources of conflict between professionals and organizations providing services and consumer-oriented self-help organizations of blind people. It reviews major developments within this profession and the rejection of the resulting professional ideologies by a new social movement. We demonstrate that there is not a unity of interest between agencies and the recipients of rehabilitation efforts. Professional and organizational self-interests are opposed to consumer efforts to redefine the nature of blindness. As consumer political effectiveness continues to grow, the threat to the funding and public legitimacy of existing programs may result in a change in attitudes toward consumer participation and definitions of blindness.