Robert Owen and the Owenites: Abolitionist ideas in the early British socialist movement
This chapter analyses abolitionist ideas in the early British socialist movement (or ‘Owenism’) in the period 1810–1840. It details the key ethical and political dilemmas that Robert Owen (1771–1858) attempted to overcome in the context of rising mass industrialization and the subsequent pauperizati...
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| Format: | Print Article |
| Language: | English |
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2025
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| In: |
Envisioning abolition
Year: 2025, Pages: 50-65 |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Summary: | This chapter analyses abolitionist ideas in the early British socialist movement (or ‘Owenism’) in the period 1810–1840. It details the key ethical and political dilemmas that Robert Owen (1771–1858) attempted to overcome in the context of rising mass industrialization and the subsequent pauperization and perceived moral degeneration of British society. It addresses how, following the tenets of philosophical necessitarianism, Owen believed that society, not the individual, bore responsibility for the generation of social evils. Consequently, in place of punishment, Owen called for alternative forms of social control grounded in rational persuasion, shaming and broader forms of moral education. The chapter also considers the immediate influence of Robert Owen’s thought on the development of abolitionist ideas and sentiments among the early British socialists, who included William Thompson, John Minter Morgan and many others. It concludes with critical reflections on the historical significance of the Owenite tradition for penal abolitionism and its continued relevance for modern-day abolitionist social movements and activists. |
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| Item Description: | Literaturverzeichnis: Seite 62-65 |
| Physical Description: | Illustrationen |
| ISBN: | 9781529234770 |
