ROBERT OWEN:
ROBERT OWEN [1771 - 1858], UTOPIAN
þ ROOTS OF EARLY SOCIALISM TYPIFIED BY ENGLISHMAN, ROBERT
OWEN.
þ WORKED IN BR. TEXTILE INDUSTRY, STARTING AT 10.
TEXTILE-MILL MGR AT 19.
þ BY 26, OWEN HAD BOUGHT TEXTILE MILLS AT NEW LANARK,
SCOTLAND.
þ BEFORE OWEN, THIS IS HOWMILLS AT NEW LANARK MANAGED:
þ THIEVES, DRUNKARDS, CRMINALS PART OF LABOR FORCE.
þ CHILDREN FROM ORPHANAGES
þ WORKDAY -- 6 AM - 7 PM.
þ COMPANY TOWN --> WOODEN 1-ROOM HOUSES.
þ OWEN --> VERY RELIGIOUS. BELIEVED WORKERS IN NEW LANARK
WERE BAD BECAUSE OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT/
ROBERT OWEN'S NEW LANARK, SCOTLAND:
A MODEL INDUSTRIAL TOWN
þ OWEN'S GOAL: TURN NEW LANARK INTO MODEL COMMUNITY:
þ NO CHILD UNDER 10 CAN WORK.
þ WORKDAY FIXED AT 10.5 HRS.
þ SCHOOL IN EVES FOR WORKING CHILDREN.
þ SET UP NURSERY SCHOOLS FOR YOUNG
CHILDREN.
þ "REGISTER OF CHARACTER" FOR ADULT
WORKERS. THIS
RECORDED:
þ DRUKENNESS
þ ILLICIT
SEXUAL BEHAVIOR, ETC.
þ PUBS
DISAPPEARED.
þ ILLIGITIMACY
DROPPED.
þ AN ELECTED COMMITTEE INSPECTED HOMES
FOR
CLEANLINESS.
þ ESTABLISHED A FUND FOR THE INJURED,
SICK,
AGED -->
WORKERS CONTRIBUTED 1/60TH
OF THEIR WAGES.
þ SAVINGS BANK EST. TO ENCOURAGE THRIFT
þ OWEN EST. STORE THAT SOLD FOOD &
OTHER QUALITY
GOODS AT MUCH LOWER PRICES
THAN PRIVATE
SHOPKEEPERS.
HOW SUCCESSFUL?
þ HIS PLANTS LOCATED IN SURPLUS-LABOR AREA.
þ HIS WAGES WERE BELOW AVERAGE:
þ MEN --> $2.40/WK þ WOMEN --> $1.50/WK
þ HIS PATERNALISTIC METHODS BROUGHT HIGH LABOR
PRODUCTIVITY.
þ IN 1819, HIS PROFITS = 12.5 %/INVESTED CAPITAL.
ROBERT OWEN [1771 - 1858], UTOPIAN
þ OWN REALIZED THE NEED FOR INDUSTRIAL SELF-GOVERNMENT BY
THE WORKERS.
þ 1N 1816, OWEN WROTE ONE OF LANDMK BOOKS OF SOCIALIST
MOVEMENT, THE NEW VIEW OF SOCIETY
þ AT THIS TIME, ENGLAND WAS DEBATING FIRST FACTORY ACT TO
þ LIMIT HRS OF WORK
þ EST. MIN. AGE FOR CHILD LABOR.
þ OWN LOBBIED HARD FOR BILL, BUT
DISAPPOINTED IT DID
NOT ADEQUATELY COVER CHILD
LABOR.
þ OWEN DISSAPOINTED OTHER EMPLOYERS
DID NOT IMITATE
NEW LANARK.
OWEN FOUNDED NEW HARMONY, INDIANA IN 1824.
þ COOPERATIVE COMMUNITY.
þ LAND OWNED IN COMMON BY PEOPLE.
þ BUT THE COMMUNITY FAILED.
þ OWEN PUSHED THE FOUNDING OF COOPERATIVE RETAIL STORES
IN ENGLAND:
þ BEGINNING OF CONSUMERS' COOPERATIVE
MOVEMENT IN
ENGLAND & SCANDINAVIA.
þ OWEN ALSO PUSHED PRODUCERS' COOPERATIVES -- WORKERS WHO
OWNED THEIR FACTORY.
þ PROJECTS DID NOT SUCCEED.
þ IN SUM, OWEN A VISIONARY WHO SOUGHT TO REFORM SOCIETY
THRU WORKER-OWNED COMMUNMITIES & ENTERPRISES:
þ PROFITS NOT PERMITTED.
þ EXPECTED LIFE OF INDIVIDUAL WOULD
HAVE LARGER
MEANING THRU COOPERATIVE LIFE
OF GROUP.
þ BUT AN INDIVIDUALISTIC ERA --> DOOMED TO FAIL.