A Socialist Worth Remembering

                                                                             

Robert Owen, a socialist worth remembering. He was born in 1771, and became a wealthy textile manager and investor. He was also the founder of Utopian socialism, the cooperative movement, and original advocate for the 8 hour work day. 8 hours work, 8 hours recreation, 8 hours rest, that saying, that one's his. He also advocated for free childhood education, and the outlawing of child labor. He was a form of determinist, and therefore believed people should not be praised nor blamed for anything, as whatever happened is a result of society and other determining factors. This is why he so strongly advocated education, and proper social treatment.

Keep in mind, we are talking about a wealthy proprietor, who invested his entire fortune into socialism, to make the world better. He purchased a town in Indiana called New Harmony, and attempted a socialist commune that lasted only about a couple of years. Though his influence lived on. The Owenites kept trying, and New Harmony is still a town with a bit over 700 residents. Now many sources will say New Harmony was a failure. And although it didn’t catch on, the way Owen and the Owenites wanted/intended. It did become a hub for academia, the first public school for boys and girls, trade schools for adults, quality healthcare, and an increased life expectancy. In New Lanark we saw similar things. New Lanark was the first mill community ran by Owen. David Dale, the father in-law of Robert Owen, was the founder of New Lanark. He was a decent guy who worked with Owen to make the lives of workers and children better.

Owen spent his life, advocating for education, healthcare, and autonomous communities to replace work camps, which were horrendous places, where the poorest of the poor, were forced to go. Owen spoke in front of parliament in the UK, and congress in the US. He insisted that he did not want a violent revolution, but maintained that if communities were built, and certain reforms implemented then socialism would catch on, no violence nor revolution necessary. And you know what? I agree. The term “Utopian socialism” was originally used as a pejorative by Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, and other early socialists to insult the so-called “naivete” of brilliant, loving minds like Robert Owen. This is a primary reason I am not a Marxist. His criticisms of Utopian socialism, and it’s great thinkers like Robert Owen or Pierre Joseph Proudhon. And so I've decided to take it back, or just take it. With pride I consider my self a Utopian Socialist, and reject”Utopian” as anything but the greatest ideology, that everyone should follow.

In 1858 Robert Owen died, virtually penniless at the age of 87. After Spending most of his years and all of his money, to spread socialism, improve social conditions, and generally make the world better. We talk a lot about rich people that give money to charity and stuff. We praise them, talk about how great they are. And yea I suppose it’s cool that Bill Gates donates money to his own tax exempt charity, in an effort to vaccinate more kids or whatever. But Robert Owen literally gave everything he had to make the world better. And no joke this world is a lot better because a person like Robert Owen was in it. What he did should be studied in history books. No I'm not kidding, I think it would be accurate to say that Robert Owen was one of the greatest men to ever live. And I'll be damned if that doesn't make him a socialist worth remembering,