Dissertations and Theses @ UNI
Availability
Open Access Thesis
Keywords
Icarian movement; Progress; Adams County (Iowa)--History; Iowa--Adams County; History;
Abstract
Nineteenth century America was a period of transition. Reform movements paralleled and sometimes replaced politics as idealistic people worked for a cornucopia of social causes. Believing man capable of finding a universally correct lifestyle, numerous activists designed communities to guide the world to peace and prosperity. One of these groups, the Icarians, following the teachings of their founder Etienne Cabet, built several utopian hamlets in the United States and existed for over half a century. Their longevity can be primarily accredited to their espousal of the philosophical doctrine of Progress. An examination of the Icarian's history shows that a quasi-religious dedication to this idea formed, united and eventually destroyed this group of French radicals. The theory of Progress depends upon chaos and hardships for improvement to occur. This idea motivated the group to endure many of their difficulties. The Icarians, tried to implement an alternative to the turbulent problems of their world. Predominately from the French urban middle-class, Icarians hoped to educate the masses, apply technology to the improvement of living standards and spread wealth equally throughout society. They believed an absolute democracy coupled with the abolition of all private property would insure equality and happiness to every person regardless of their demographic status. The Icarian's communist theory, based on lessons' from the past, progressed society toward perfection by restructuring man's environment. This thesis attempts to explore the role Progress played on the actions and thought of the Icarian members. The Icarians were not idle dreamers hiding from a harsh world. They were reformers trying to change the world by their example. Utopian scholars too readily dismiss utopians for embracing ideals far-fetched and improbable if not impossible to implement. The Icarians contradict this portrayal since their efforts became common practice in the American culture. As this thesis demonstrates, utopias are not necessarily unrealistic nor doomed to failure. Instead some disbanded because society had reformed to their liking. Utopian socialists, seen as the Progressives they were, contributed to society in such a way that it merits further scholarly investigation.
Year of Submission
1998
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Department of History
First Advisor
David McKibbin
Second Advisor
Wallace A. Hettle
Third Advisor
Jay T. Lees
Date Original
1998
Object Description
1 PDF file (91 leaves)
Copyright
©1998 John Davis Higdon
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Higdon, John Davis, "Utopia in Iowa?: Etienne Cabet and the Icarian Concept of Progress" (1998). Dissertations and Theses @ UNI. 2939.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/etd/2939
Comments
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