Utopian Groups In 19th Century America

Throughout the 19th century America experienced booming prosperity in economic growth, new inventions, and diversity. Americans wanted to attain a culture that was unique and did not resemble Europe in any way. Groups dissatisfied with European representations of government and life styles in general, initiated Utopian models organized by leaders whose focus was to bring together groups of people to form a perfect society. “UTOPIA is originally a Greek word for an imaginary place where everyone and everything is perfect.” The objective of these Utopian groups was to develop an organization that would allow for the appeasement of individual improvement by the exchange of stimulating and provocative ideas. While considering these objectives,
The organization was started as a joint-stock company. (age of sage) “There were twenty-four shares issued each costing five hundred dollars on which interest was payable at five per cent.” If you were to purchase a share, you were able to become a member of the group. The residents of the farm all shared the responsibility of undertaking the laborious activities around the property. If a person did not complete a proper amount of work, they would be looked upon undesirably and be requested to leave. The members decided to construct standards for working hours, and were told to record their labor. (ideas brook) Community members were paid a dollar a day for physical or intellectual work and their revenue could be used to purchase goods at actual cost. The farm offered housing, clothing, and food for the societal members. (brit) Apart from labor the community was able to participate in educational facilities. Brook Farm had an infant school, a primary school, and a college preparatory course. The school system sought to establish “perfect freedom of relations between students and teaching body.” (brit) Teachers did not take on a strict demeanor rather they gently implanted “a sense of personal responsibility and a passion for intellectual work.” (britt) The free atmosphere that was bountiful from labor and education promoted sociability. The additional intervals of time were
Both societies can be described as Utopia’s. On Brook farm everyone was considered equal on a spiritual level. Everyone had their own job and was expected to contribute to the society. In Brave new world every member of the alpha, beta, delta, gamma, and epsilon class had specific jobs that helped contribute to the creation of new members of society. Among the members of society in Brave New World and Brook Farm are John the Savage and Nathaniel Hawthorne. Jon and Nathaniel can both be considered as unorthodox. John observed the World State community and did not approve of the lack of individualism. Nathaniel Hawthorne noticed that the community members were not completing an equal amount of labor that was once a goal for the farm. Both men did not want to conform to a society that did not satisfy their beliefs. Although Utopia’s appear to be a flawless way to bring a community together in an equal or transcendental way, perfection cannot be achieved. The ideology of perfection is diverse among every individual and the clashing of this ideology will continually lead to a