"Utopian Socialism"

Author Bio: Robert Owen (1771 - 1858) - born in a lower class family as the son of a saddle maker; at eighteen years old, set up a cotton mill which became incredibly successful within the following decade; for his workers, he provided high wages, above-par working conditions, and free schooling for their children; still made a large profit; wished to incorporate these and other goals into governmental legislation; considered the father of English socialism.

Speaker: see above

Date/Context: This speech was giving at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution in 1816 at the opening of an “Institution for the Formation of Character.” Due to the rapid expansion of mechanized industry brought on by the Industrial Revolution, one should note that Robert Owen’s speech might be a bit too reactionary. The new, oppressive conditions found in many factories were a fresh issue in people’s minds, and especially without any legislation to protect the workers, some people might have excessively rebelled against these factories and their owners.

Summary: Every society has been founded on the following ideals. One, people can form their own character. This leads to religion as well as crime and punishment. It also leads to mutual hatred between people, groups, and nations. Two, people tend to lose their character while suffering through domestic life. This leads to half of all of humanity's crimes. Three, a majority of the population must live in poverty so that the rich minority can revel in their wealth. This leads to man fighting against one another as well as ignorance and vice. However, upon closer inspection of the facts, different truths are revealed. One, a person’s character is formed for them and not by them. Two, any character can be given to anyone. Three, people do not tend to lose their character. Four, everyone can produce more than they need which leads to a surplus in clothes, food, or whatever it is that that person creates. Five, everyone can be happy; there does not have to be a balance between a happy minority and distraught majority. Six, there exists a combination of the above principles that creates a society in which misery, poverty, and crime will be nearly abolished; everyone will live harmoniously in that society. Seven, a large portion of the principles that society has been run on up to this point are utterly incorrect. Eight, the change from the foundations of the past to the bright ideals of the future will not harm anyone. These are the points that society must change. Everyone has to play a part to fix the world. However, it is absolutely imperative that it happen gradually, for if it does not, the men who wish to fight against the change will injure the world further. The rest of society must change their perception to be able to fix their opinions of the world. To bring attention to their blindness will only irritate them, but this irritation must be soothed before the next step can be taken. After that however, reaching the goal will be swift due to the lack of obstacles presenting themselves. These thoughts and ideals have been offered unto humanity in the past. Even so, I believe that I have been the first one to combine them. Only by bringing them all together can they effectively create a new government in this time.

Key Quotations: “That any community may be arranged, on a due combination of the foregoing principles, in such a manner, as not only to withdraw vice, poverty, and, in a great degree, misery, from the world, but also to place every individual under circumstances in which he shall enjoy more permanent happiness than can be given to any individual under the principles which have hitherto regulated society.”

“That the change which would follow the abandonment of those erroneous maxims which bring misery into the world, and the adoption of principles of truth, unfolding a system which shall remove and for ever exclude that misery, may be effected without the slightest injury to any human being.”