History of American SocialismsNoyes, John Humphrey
History
History of American Socialisms
Noyes, John Humphrey
Communism -- United States; Socialism -- United States
Here then arises a distinction between Fourierism as a theory
propounded by Fourier, and Fourierism as a practical movement
administered in this country by Brisbane and Greeley. The constitution
of a country is one thing; the government is another. Fourier
furnished constitutional principles; Brisbane was the working
President of the administration. We must not judge Fourier's theory by
Brisbane's execution. We can not conclude or safely imagine, from the
actual events under Brisbane's administration, what would have been
the course of things, if Fourier himself had been President of the
American movement. It might have been worse; or it might have been
better. It certainly would not have been the same; for Brisbane was a
very different man from Fourier. For one thing, Fourier was
practically a cautious man; while Brisbane was a young enthusiast.
Again, Fourier was a poor man and a worker; while Brisbane was a
capitalist. Our impression also is, that Fourier was more religious
than Brisbane. From these differences we might conjecture, that
Fourier would not have succeeded so well as Brisbane did, in getting
up a vast and swift excitement; but would have conducted his
operations to a safer end. At all events, it is unfair to judge the
French theory by the American movement under Brisbane. The value of
Fourier's ideas is not determined, nor the hope of good from them
foreclosed, merely by the disasters of these local experiments.
And, to deal fairly all round, it must further be said, that it is not
right to judge Brisbane by such experiments as that of the Sylvania
Association. Let it be remembered that, with all his enthusiasm, he
gave warning from time to time in his publications of the
deficiencies and possible failures of these hybrid ventures; and was
cautious enough to keep himself and his money out of them. We have not
found his name in connection with any of the experiments, except the
North American Phalanx; and he appears never to have been a member
even of that; but only was recommended for its presidency by the
Fourier Association of New York, which was a sort of mother to it.
What then shall we say of the rank-and-file that formed themselves
into Phalanxes and marched into the wilderness to the music of
Fourierism? Multitudes of them, like the poor Sylvanians, lost their
all in the battle. To them it was no mere matter of theory or pleasant
propagandism, but a miserable "Bull Run." And surely there was a great
mistake somewhere. Who was responsible for the enormous miscalculation
of times, and forces, and capabilities of human nature, that is
manifest in the universal disaster of the experiments? Shall we clear
the generals, and leave the poor soldiers to be called volunteer
fools, without the comfort even of being in good company?
After looking the whole case over again, we propose the following
distribution of criticism:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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