Searching for utopia
Searching for utopiaSearching for Utopia
After the French Revolution many men began a search for a utopian society, one which would allow justice and happiness for all who resided there. It was not only a search for these men, but a lifelong goal, for if such a place created many of life's problems would disappear. In order to make this vision come to life, the principles and laws that would create such a society must be understood. It was men such as Saint-Simon, Fourier, Jefferson, Owen, Bentham, Malthus and Ricardo who sought to create and identify with the factors which would allow for this utopian vision to become a reality.
For Saint-Simon the perfect utopia would have scientists at the top of the political structure, along with the industrialists and artists. His reasoning for this seemingly odd political structure was that it was not only important to fill the emotional needs of the people, it was also important to keep reason alive in both the minds of the people and those who govern them. He put these ideas into words in his book, Nouveau Christianne, which stated that a society organized by science must be balanced by the Brotherhood of Man. His doctrine was later turned into a religion by his followers. Even though many of his writings may seem extremely unrealistic, several of them were prophetic in nature. Not only did he predict future events, he also influenced many great minds of the nineteenth century, making him an important figure of his time.
Another eccentric who was seeking his own type of utopia was Francois Marie Fourier. Although several of Fourier's views were influenced by the same trends as Saint-Simons' his ideas were significantly different, for Fourier saw no use in scientists of progress. Instead, Fourier wanted to liberate human nature. He determined that it was man's passions which made them happy and the inhibition of their passions which had the opposite effect. His answer to this idea was to create a society in which men and women could indulge in their passions in a safe and harmonious way. In order to achieve this type of utopian society, instead of having cities, Fourier devised his idea of the perfect town, called phalansteres. These rural units would have a population of one thousand six hundred and twenty. He based this figure on his personal classification into eight hundred and ten types. Each passion was to be represented by a male and a female, accounting for the population size. He figured that all would be merged together in harmony through their diversity. Although it may seem strange in this sort of society, Fourier proposed that there would be no economic equality; everyone in this society would come together to satisfy their passions. To date, many of Fourier's ideas have become accepted in today's society as a social norm.
Thomas Jefferson...
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