Impractical means for a Fanatical goal.
- Did many unique things such as pay 5 shillings to show a class of children an alligator.
- To stop unsanitary conditions, created bathing machines to let children bathe.
- Used advice about solving societal problems from dead people such as Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson.
Interesting Facts
- Was the 6th of 7 children and ended up having seven children
- Met his wife Caroline in Scotland
- Decided reform was needed in his early 20s when he saw his two thousand workers living in bad conditions. About five hundred of these workers were children.
- When he was 83, he converted into a spiritualist even though he disliked the idea of religion for most of his life.
Lasting Impact
- Helped to progress education for children and adults in America.
- Helped to improve working conditions, such as lessening the work day.
- Inspired reformers to continue to work hard for their movements.
- Created a peaceful balance of quiet modern life and fast paced industrial life in many cities such as Lanark.
- Spread his ideas for a utopian society, which influenced America both positively and negatively.
His Reforms
- Made reforms to improve living conditions in factories which many workers supported since they disliked such long and gruesome work days.
- However, employers opposed these reforms since they thought it would reduce production.
- Also made education reforms to remove children from the harsh working conditions which was widely supported.
- He attempted to create a utopian society based off socialism called New Harmony which failed and resulted in him losing a majority of his money (£40,000).
Robert Owen the Revisionist
- Was Strongly against labor laws imposed on women and children.
- He thought the working conditions were dreadful, and actively tried to improve these conditions.
- He felt the current education system wasn't up to par and tried to improve it.
Robert Owen (1771-1858)
Improvement
of conditions
- while at New Lanark, he decreased the hours and increased age limits while he was manager. This greatly improved productivity.
- Improved infrastructure in New Lanark by paving new roads and making houses better.
- To improve education he implemented a series of essays, called the " Essays of the principled of the formation of human character." This allowed for education of children and adults.
Father of British Socialism