Responses to the New
Age
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Socialism – a political and economic
theory of social organization advocating
state ownership and control of natural
resources and commercial activities
Socialism
Opposite of Laissez faire
 Many workers and intellectuals wanted a
complete restructuring of society that
would eliminate inhumanity and
exploitation
 Not jut political, but social and economic

Saint-Simon, Fourier, Owen – utopians
(island)
 Marx, came later, and saw himself as a
scientific socialist
 Revolution necessary
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Early Socialists
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Property and wealth corrupts people
No inherent hostility between owner and
worker
It was the existing system and private
property that was bad
Both should strive for the common good
Social structure had to change with time
No inheritance, public ownership of
industry
Saint-Simon
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No faith in industrial society
Small community away from the rest
Self sufficient, cooperative comminty
Based on agriculture and craftsmanship
Members share equally in life
Paid by dividend, not wages
Be paid by talent and contribution
Create a community that responds to
individual needs, not the opposite
Charles Fourier
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Successful business man
Believed that happy worker was a good
worker
Limited hours, schools, health care
affordable housing, profit sharing
Environmentalist- change the
environment of your workers
Founded a colony in New Harmony,
Indiana
Robert Owen