The
Arena, an American
literary and political magazine, was founded by the radical journalist,
Benjamin Flower. It first appeared as
a 100 page monthly journal in December, 1889. Flower, influenced by
the ideas of Edward Bellemy and Henry
George, used the magazine to publicize the need for social reform.
Over the first few years Flower published a large number of articles
on poverty, sweatshops, slum clearance, unemployment and child labour.
One of his early campaigns was an attempt to persuade the government
to raise the age of consent to eighteen. Flower also published several
articles on socialism and unlike most
magazines, gave support to attempts by workers to form trade
unions.
Benjamin Flower left the journal in 1896
but returned in 1904 determined to make it "one of the great
conscience forces in the English-speaking world." He added, "let
us agitate, educate, organize and move forward, casting aside timidity
and insisting that the Republic shall no longer lag behind in the
march of progress."
Flower argued that all literature should be didactic and believed
that all novels and poems should have a social purpose. Flower promoted
the work of novelists such as Frank Norris,
David Graham Phillips and Upton
Sinclair. In an article, The Highest
Function of the Novel, Flower praised those writers who
were "the champions of the world's helpless millions".
Flower employed investigative journalist to obtain information that
was part of his campaign for social, economic and political reform.
In doing so, The Arena followed
the example of McClure's Magazine
and began to specialize in what became known as muckraking
journalism.
In the early 1900s the circulation of The
Arena reached over 30,000. However, the magazine was never
economically successful. It lost $37,809 in its first year and although
the situation improved, the journal only made an annual profit in
four of the twenty years it was trading. The last edition of The
Arena appeared in August, 1909.
(1)
W. T. Stead, Review of Reviews (July
1891)
The Arena is never dull, although it is sometimes mad, or,
to speak more correctly, it sometimes publishes a mad article, which,
after all, is rather welcome. It is an open arena for the discussion
of subjects tabooed by the Forum and the North American.
There is more audacity about the Arena than its older rivals.
The Arena for June is even more strenuous than usual. The magazine
from the first page to the last is strained almost to the breaking
point with overcharged earnestness.
The Arena is never dull,
although it is sometimes mad, or, to speak more correctly, it sometimes
publishes a mad article, which, after all, is rather welcome. It is
an open arena for the discussion of subjects tabooed by the Forum
and the North American. There is more audacity about the Arena
than its older rivals. The Arena for June is even more strenuous
than usual. The magazine from the first page to the last is strained
almost to the breaking point with overcharged earnestness.
(2) Benjamin
Flower, Progressive Me, Women and Movements (1914)
The Arena (in the 1890s)
was one of the fourmost magazines that was fearlessly waging a warfare
on the unwarranted aggressions and corrupting influence of privileged
wealth. The Arena appealed to though-moulders. It had an enormous
circulation among the clergy, to whom special rates had been granted
because of the desire of the management that it should become pre-eminently
a public educator, and it was felt that by reaching the public opinion-forming
agencies we could in many instances start new centres for the diffusion
of the light of justice, fundamental democracy, for intellectual hospitality.
Available from Amazon Books
(order below)
