Owen, Robert

Owen, Robert (1771–1858),“the father of English socialism,” at an early age made a commercial success of his cotton mills at New Lanark, Scotland, and then, to ameliorate the conditions of his workers, instituted successful social experiments in economic, moral, and educational reform. In A New View of Society (1813), he set forth the principles of his educational philanthropy, contending that human character is formed by circumstances and that to create a good man one must surround him with the proper physical, moral, and social influences. This philosophy led Owen to propose the foundation of socialized agricultural communities of some 1200 persons. To test his theories he came to America (1824) and founded New Harmony.

Robert Dale Owen (1801–77), his son, emigrated to the U.S. in 1825, and was active in the New Harmony community and with Frances Wright in the Nashoba Community, as well as in other reform associations. He put his theories of public education into practice as a member of the Indiana legislature, and, while a Democratic member of Congress (1843–47), was instrumental in organizing the Smithsonian Institution. He was American chargé d'affaires and minister to Italy (1853–58), and there became interested in spiritualism, about which he wrote two books. Upon his return to the U.S., he wrote The Policy of Emancipation (1863), which supposedly influenced Lincoln's views. Other works include Pocahontas (1837), a historical drama; Hints on Public Architecture (1849); The Future of the North‐West (1863); The Wrong of Slavery (1864); Beyond the Breakers (1870), a novel; and Threading My Way (1874), an autobiography of his youth.