Charles
Fourier was born in Besancon, France, on 7th April, 1773. The son
of a cloth merchant, he was educated at the local Jesuit college.
After serving the the French Army he worked as a clerk in Lyon.
In 1808
he published his first book, The Social Destiny
of Man. In the book Fourier criticized the immorality of
the business world, arguing that "truth and commerce are as incompatible
as Jesus and Satan."
In The
Social Destiny of Man, Fourier advocated a new socialist
system of cooperation. He suggested that 'phalanxes' should be established.
These would be scientifically planned to offer a maximum of both cooperation
and self-fulfillment to their members. Fourier suggested that these
communes should contain about 1,600 people and should attempt to be
compatible with each member's "natural talents, passions, and
inclinations".
The ideas
in the book influenced writers such as Alexander
Hearken, Peter Larva, Pierre-Joseph
Proudhon,
Prince Kropotkin, Ralph
Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.
Others like Karl Marx and Frederick
Engels accused Fourier of being "utopian" and attempted
to develop a more scientific theory of socialism.
One of
Fourier's supporters, Victor Considerant, established a newspaper
in order to promote the cause. Others attempted to establish their
own phalanstery. This included one at Rambouillet in France that was
under-capitalized and eventually went bankrupt (1834-36). Another,
more successful attempt, was made by George Ripley at Brook Farm in
Massachusetts (1841-46).
Although
no long-term phalanxes were established, Fourier's ideas influenced
a generation of socialists, anarchists, feminists, pacifists, internationalists
and others questioning the morality of the capitalist system. Even
Karl Marx and Frederick
Engels used Fourier's ideas to develop their theory of alienation.
Fourier
also published The New World of Communal
Activity (1829) and The False
Division of Labour (1835). However, his attempts to find
a rich benefactor to fund a phalanstery ended in failure. Charles
Fourier died in Paris on 10th October, 1837.
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