FOURIER AND THE FARMERS
In the language of the time the Farmers were Socialists, but the
Socialism of 1840-50 was a very different proposition from the
Socialism of to-day. The earlier socialists were not in politics. They
had no party, politically speaking, and took only a remote and indirect
interest in political affairs. What they wanted was to reform the
world; to reconstruct civilization on a scientific basis. That was what
President Lincoln was wont to call a big job. However, faith will move
mountains, and the socialists certainly had faith. Their purpose was
far reaching, to be sure, but, after all, it rested on a very simple
basis. Reduced to a syllogism it might be stated as follows: Major
premise: Every human being desires happiness. Minor premise: Socialism
provides for the happiness of every human being. Conclusion:
Demonstrate this truth and every human being will become a socialist.
Q. E. D.
The socialists were at first called Fourierites but this rather long
title very soon gave place to the more convenient word here used. The
science of right living was evolved by Charles Fourier, a French savant
who gave his life to humanitarian studies. His fundamental concept was
that the Creator and Ruler of the Universe instituted one law; one
edict of the Divine Will, one all-inclusive order, regulating and
controlling everything that is. This is the Law of the series. The
stars in their courses move in the serial order, and the leaves
clothing the trees obey the same cosmic code. Fourier’s first axiom
was: The series distribute the Harmonies. That is to say, the operation
of the Law of the series brings about harmonious results. The stars
traverse serenely their proper orbits, influencing each other in a
perfect balance of harmonious relations. The leaves burgeon on the
branches in the serial order that gives to each its share of sun and
rain. Human society to reach its highest development must come into
harmonious relations with the stars, with the leaves, with everything
that exists in the universe, under the Divine Law of the series. To
this end society must be reconstructed in the order of the series.
_Organization of Labor_
Labor is the prime factor of human affairs. By Labor the race is to
subdue the earth that the earth may be our heritage. This is the first
command with a promise given in the Bible. To fulfill the Divine
purpose Labor must be brought under the Divine Law, the Law of the
series.
Disorganized Labor cannot subdue the earth, hampered as it is by waste,
by loss, by repulsive and dangerous tasks, by fruitless toil, by class
hostilities, by warring communities, by the monopoly of gains, and by
the thousand penalties incurred by disorderly opposition to Law.
The Organization of Labor will evolve Attractive Industries; Harmonious
Communities, and will ensure the Equitable Distribution of Gains and
the protection afforded by Mutual Guarantees.
These communities will illustrate Fourier’s second axiom. Attractions
are Proportioned to Destinies. Every being born into this world has a
place in the work of subduing the earth, suited to his abilities and to
his tastes. In the Organized Community this place will be open to him.
He will be attracted to those industries in which he is destined to do
his best work.
The Series Distribute the Harmonies, and, under the Law communities
will be drawn together by natural attraction. The Law ensures
harmonious relation and there will be no competitions, no grasping
monopolies, no clashing of opposing forces. The welfare of each
individual will be identified with the welfare of all. The community of
Organized Laborers, living together and working together in Attractive
Industries, will be a solid Phalanx of united interests. The Phalanx
will assume responsibility for the welfare of each member from birth to
death. The provision of Mutual Guarantees will insure to each a good
home, good living, good education for the young, good care for the aged
and good opportunities for work and for recreation while life lasts.
Each one will be perfectly free to follow those congenial pursuits the
attractions of which are proportioned to his destiny. The final
consummation as announced by Fourier in his third axiom, will be the
Unity of Man with God, with Man, and with Nature.
The apostle of Fourierism in America was Albert Brisbane. By nature a
humanitarian and by earnest study a profound scholar, he recognized a
germ of truth in the theory of the Transcendentalists that humanity is
suffering from evils which if not remedied must result in disaster. The
remedy he found in Socialism. While sojourning in France he came under
the personal influence of Charles Fourier and, was a member of the
circle of converts drawn around the founder of Socialism—not the
political Socialism of to-day, be it again said, but the Socialism of
1840, devoted to the reorganization of civilized society, on a
scientific basis; the re-formation of human institutions under the
universal Serial Order.
Returning home, Mr. Brisbane established a socialistic propaganda which
for ten years or more exercised a wide influence on the public mind of
this country land awakened an intense interest in the socialistic
movement. He translated the works of Fourier and published them at his
own cost. He had a column in Horace Greeley’s _Tribune_ where he
expounded the new doctrines and gave practical instruction to his
followers. An eloquent and persuasive speaker, he lectured constantly
all over the country, and formed socialist clubs and societies and made
converts with whom he maintained an active correspondence. At flood
tide he estimated that the socialists in the United States numbered
more than 200,000. I believe the records show forty-two communities
organized on the socialistic plan during the decade above referred to.
There were two in the state of New York; two in Pennsylvania, two in
Ohio; two in New Jersey, and two in Massachusetts, namely Hopedale and
Brook Farm.
Of course Mr. Brisbane came to Brook Farm. I remember him as a tall,
rather slender young man, somewhat bent forward, alert and impulsive in
manner, quick of gesture and of speech, and a charming talker. Filled
with enthusiasm, glorying in the great cause he stood for,
self-sacrificing, giving himself absolutely to the redemption of
humanity, he converted the Farmers to the Fourierite theories and
induced them to put these theories to the test of actual experiment.
Minot Pratt and one or two other skeptics left the Association, but the
rest of the members unanimously voted to reorganize as a Fourierite
Phalanx.
When this was accomplished Mr. Brisbane made Brook Farm a sort of
headquarters for the Socialistic propaganda, and enlisted several of
the members as lecturers and teachers of humanitarian science. _The
Harbinger_ was established as the Fourierite organ in this country. Dr.
Ripley and Mr. Dana were the editors, and it was a Brook Farm
publication. There was, however, very little of Brook Farm news in its
columns, and no advertising. Besides the exposition of socialistic
doctrine there were book reviews, musical notes, and fiction, the most
important novel being George Sands’ “Consuelo,” translated for the
paper by Francis George Shaw. _The Harbinger_ never paid expenses, and
the editors and contributors gave their services in aid of the cause it
advocated. Among those who wrote for the journal were Ralph Waldo
Emerson, Albert Brisbane, Wm. H. Channing, Elizabeth Peabody, and
Margaret Fuller.
Elizabeth Peabody, though not a member of the Association was warmly
interested in its work and in its welfare. In one of her contributions
to _The Dial_, the organ of the Transcendentalists, she wrote, in part,
as follows: “There are men and women who have dared to say to one
another, ‘Why not have our daily life organized on Christ’s own idea?
Why not begin to remove the mountain of custom and convention?’ In
order to live a religious and moral life, they feel it is necessary to
come out in some degree from the world and form themselves into a
community of property so far as to exclude competition and the ordinary
rules of trade, while they preserve sufficient private property for all
purposes of independence and isolation at will. They make agriculture
the basis of their life, it being most direct and simple in relation to
nature. A true life although it aims beyond the stars, is redolent of
the healthy earth. The perfume of clover lingers about it. The lowing
of cattle is the natural bass to the melody of human voices.”
Miss Peabody was one of the children’s friends at the Farm. She was
much interested in the school and when she had something to say to us,
the classes all came together and listened to her pertinent words with
earnest attention. I cannot say as much for her co-worker, Margaret
Fuller. Her monologues in the parlor at the Hive failed to attract the
notice she evidently thought they deserved, and I am afraid, on the
whole, her experiences at the Farm were rather disappointing to her.
She occupied a room in the cottage, and I have heard that the little
house has since been called the Margaret Fuller Cottage, but no one
ever thought of so naming it in the early days.
Let not this record of a boy’s impressions be read as detracting from
the luster shining about the memory of Margaret Fuller. She was highly
respected and esteemed by all Brook Farmers and the friends of the
community during her life of faithful service, and her tragic death was
a source of grief deep and sincere to all who knew her worth. After the
community broke up, she went to live in Italy, and there was happily
married to the Count d’Ossoli. Returning to America with her husband
and child, a happy wife and proud mother, the vessel on which they were
passengers was wrecked off Fire Island, and all on board were drowned.
Almost within sight of home, and almost within reach of help from the
shore, Margaret Fuller and her dear ones perished together. There was
no Life Saving Service at that time, and watchers on the beach had no
means of rescuing the voyagers who met death as they were drawing near
to the end of their journey.
When the Brook Farm Association became the Brook Farm Phalanx, the
industries of the place were organized in the serial order. The tilling
of the soil was conducted by the Agricultural Series, with special work
assigned to different groups, as the Farming group, the Orchard group,
the Garden group, etc. The household affairs were in charge of the
Domestic Series, comprising the Kitchen group, the Laundry group, the
Waiters’ group—a very jolly group, that, and two or three others. The
Manufacturing Series directed the work of the trades; and the Festal
Series had charge of recreations and entertainments. The last named
series had attractions proportioned to the destinies of every member of
every group in the industrial organization, and a deal of care and
attention were deliberately given to its functions. Six days we labored
and did all our work and did it well. We did not labor the same number
of hours each day but took two half-holidays every week for having a
royal good time under the management of the Festal Series.
No one was closely confined to any of the specialized groups but, as a
rule, every one found his right place and attended strictly to business
therein; subject, however, to an emergency call in case of need. In the
planting season and the harvesting season, for example, we could put
fifty hands in the field, or more if required. Agriculture was our main
interest and farming became a very attractive industry when potatoes
were to be quickly put in the ground or when hay was to be rushed to
the barns.
On the whole it can be truly said that the serial order worked first
rate in agriculture, which I happened to know most about, and the
practical experiment of organizing industry was immensely successful so
far as getting work done was concerned. As to profit and loss that is a
matter about which I am not informed.
Agriculture is the basis of support for the human family and will
continue to be the basis in the new dispensation. The Organization of
Labor in agriculture will necessitate the drawing together of workers
in communities, each neighborhood uniting to dwell at a convenient
central location. At this central home, all the problems of the
isolated household will be provided for by this organized community, by
the conduct of domestic affairs in the scientific order of the series.
Such a community will be a Phalanx, and the Phalanx will be the unit of
Organized Society.
Fourier anticipated many inventions, mechanical devices for taking the
place of handiwork in the household, among others. The hard and the
disagreeable tasks now assigned to servants, would in the Phalanx be
performed on a large scale by machinery.
There were no servants at Brook Farm. Every one served but no one was
hired to serve. Household drudgery was reduced to the lowest
practicable minimum. We did not live on the fat of the land, and that
made a wonderful difference in the kitchen work,—that was at first.
Later we had to employ farm-laborers and mechanics and as they needed
meat for strong men, it became necessary for greasy Joan to keel the
pot, and Joan was imported for that purpose.
Our plain fare—very plain indeed it was—occasioned a good deal of
comment among our friends. They were afraid we would starve but we
didn’t. We were all splendidly well, kept in fine condition and in the
best of high spirits. The very few-cases of sickness on the place were
every one of them brought there from elsewhere, until the advent of the
scourge—and that too, we brought or was possibly sent, from outside our
healthful borders.
On the whole, again, from the social point of view, the Brook Farm
experiment was eminently successful. We were happy, contented, well-off
and care-free; doing a great work in the world, enthusiastic and
faithful, we enjoyed every moment of every day, dominated every moment
of every day by the Spirit of Brook Farm.