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FOURIER, CHARLES 



FOURIER, CHARLES. 



which was published early in 1829, under the title of ' The New Indu 

 trial World ; ' a Urge octavo Tolume of 600 pages, and the most 

 methodical and elementary of all hii work*. In this volume he has 

 devoted a long and elaborate chapter to the ' Confirmation of Asso- 

 ciative Principles from tho Gospel" Prom 1822 he appears to have 

 studied the Sacred Scriptures with devout attention, and to have 

 altered hit mind with regard to the influence of their authority in 

 corrohomtion of his science. 



During the time of his last visit to Beaancon, his native city, to 

 superintend the printing of his ' New Industrial World,' he resided 

 in the house of a lady, Madame Clarissa Vuonreux, who had recently 

 become a convert to bis views, and who subsequently devoted her 

 whole fortune, as well as her talent*, to the propagation of his theory : 

 her ' Parolfs de Providence ' was one of the most popular works 

 published in elucidation of Fourier's theories. 



In March 1 829 Fourier returned to Paris, where ho continued to 

 reside permanently. His compendium was treated by the press with 

 the same indifference and silence as the larger work of 1822, and his 

 name remained unknown to the public until the year of the Revolu- 

 tion, 1830, when the St. Simonians in Paris began to attract general 

 attention by their eloquence and eccentricity. As this new sect pro- 

 fessed to take an interest in social industry and combinative unity. 

 Fourier sent a copy of his works to each of their leaders, offering to 

 assist them in organising practical associations, if they were willing to 

 avail themselves of his theory- He had made the sime offer to the 

 English Socialists some y. ars before, but his offer of assistance was 

 treated with polite indifference by both the English and the French 

 Mots of social innovators. This treatment soured Fouri-r's mind 

 against both parties, and he resolved to publish a critical refutation 

 of their respective systems. In 1831 he published.a pamphlet entitled 

 ' The Fallacy and Charlatanry of the St Simonians and the Owenites.' 

 This pamphlet contains a very severe criticism of the two systems, and 

 was probably a powerful agent in neutralising the influence of the 

 St Simonians in France. Most of Fourier's writings display an irrit- 

 able temper, but this pamphlet is lamentably deficient in equanimity, 

 however just the arguments my be. It produced however a great 

 sensation amongst the St. Simonians, and several of their leaders openly 

 embraced Fourier's views. 



This was the beginning of Fourier's notoriety and influence in Paris. 

 Men of talent and of property began to croup themselves around him 

 in numbers, and in 1832 they were able to afford him the means of 

 publishing a weekly journal, the first number of which appeared on 

 the 1st of June 1832, under the name of ' The Phalanstery,' a journal 

 of industrial reform. Fourier edited this journal with the ai.l of 

 several of bis new adepts, who had left the St Simonians. Many of 

 his articles are interesting, inasmuch as they are less abstruse and 

 scientific than his books. The journal wag continued for two years, 

 and laid the foundation of that ' Phalansterian Propaganda' which 

 afterwards became widely spread over all parts of the globe. 



The gentlemen who enabled Fourier to commence this journnl, 

 enabled him also to form a joint-stock society for the practical experi- 

 ment of his theory. Shares were tken to the amount of 20.000/., and 

 an estate of 1200 or 1300 acres of waste land was purchased at CondtS- 

 sur-Vegres, near K imbouillet Buildings were commenced and other 

 operations, almost immediately, against Fourier's will, before a suf- 

 ficient number of shares bad been sold to warrant such precipitancy : 

 it failed, as all such experiments have hitherto failcl. lu tho first 

 instance it was stopped short for want of sufficient capital ; then 

 pacing into other hands it soon lost its distinctive character, and 

 eventually was wholly abandoned as an associative scheme. 



In 1835 Fourier published another octavo volume, entitled ' False 

 Industry ;' but it was chiefly filled with criticisms of the present state 

 of tilings, and contained nothing new in regard to his theory. In 1830 

 a monthly journal was commenced by his friends, under the name of 

 ' La Phalange,' which had a larger and more vigorous existence than 

 its predecessor. As the ' Ddmocmtie 1'acifique,' it eventually appeared 

 as a daily paper, but the revolution put an end to its existence, aud 

 sent iU editors into exile. 



Fourier was a man of dignified simplicity, friendly and polite, in- 

 dulgent and sincere, but somewhat mianthropic in the latter part of 

 hi life, partly from disappointment in failing to realise his theory 

 during hi* own lifetime. In person ho was slight, and of a nervous, 

 irritable temperament : his stature about five feet seven inches. His 

 physiognomy was expressive, bU hair light-brown, complexion fair ; 

 bis eyes bloe and of a mild expression. His nose was aquiline nn<l 

 ehin large, his lips thin and much compressed. His head was of the 

 ' Oaulois ' form, less oval than the Celtic, prominent in front, depressed 

 behind, and ery full on each side, and yet rather small than large. 

 In youth his favourite study was geography ; his favourite amusements 

 were music and the cultivation of flowers. 



In 1837 Fourier's health began to decline rapidly, and on the 10th 

 of October he died, leaving a second volume of his ' Fake Industry,' 

 partly printed, but not put.luhed. The whole of his published works 

 cons.st of' Thc..rie de* Quatres Mouvementa et des Destine** Qdnd- 

 rale*,' 1 vol 8vo, 420 page*, published in 1808 ; 'Traite" de !' Associa- 

 tion Doroestiqoe Agricole,' 2 vol*. 8vo, published in 1822, and a sum- 

 mary of the same, published in 1828, making altogether a work of 

 1448 closely print- pages : Le Nouveau Monde, Jndustriel et Socie- 



Ulre,' 1 vol. 8vo, published in 1820, with a livret d'annouce of the 

 same, published in 1830, 664 pages; ' Pieges et Charlatanisme des 

 deux Sectes St Simon et Owen, an octavo pamphlet of 72 pages, 

 published in 1831 ; 'La Fanase Industrie, inorcelce, repugnante, men- 

 songore ; et 1" Antidote, 1'Industrie naturelle, combined, attrayantc, 

 veVidiqne, donnant quadruple Produit,' 1 voL 8vo, published iu two 

 parts, the first in 1835, the second iu 1837, 840 pages; and the ' Pas- 

 sions of the Soul.' mentioned above, which has b-en tranUated into 

 English (8vo, 1851) by the Rv. J. R. Morel), with a biography and 

 general introduction by Hugh Doherty. Eight volumes of his ' <Kuvres 

 Completes' were published at Paris between 1841-45. 



Fourier's views have unquestionably had a very powerful influence 

 in modifying, if not in forming, those associative, communistic, or 

 socialistic doctrines which were for awhile dominant, and though 

 repressed are yet influential, and appear to have taken deep root iu 

 France ; have extended so widely throughout the European continent ; 

 aud have been far from inoperative in this country and in America ; 

 though, as it would seem, their prevalence is less general ami their 

 influence leas profound than the hopes and fears of their more ardent 

 advocates and opponents have led them to believe. We therefore deem 

 it not unndvisable to place before our readers a summary of the 

 of Fourier, drawn up, as will be seen, by a member of the Phalannterian 

 school, one of Fourier's most devoted and able disciples holding 

 ourselves of course therefore free from all responsibility for the tone of 

 acquiescence in opinions many of which we deem palpably erroneous, 



Fourier's theory is based on One universal principle that of 

 attraction and repulsion, in all spheres of life and movement Tho 

 cardinal division of this One principle or law of movement pivots on, 

 or terminates in, what he terms Passional or Social harmony. When 

 stated mathematically his science resolves itself into throe theorems 

 three aspects of universality which are these : 



Los attractions sont proportionnelles aux destinies. 

 La Sdrie distribue lea harmonica. 

 Analogic universelle. 



These are accepted by the Phalansterian school as fundamontn 

 axioms of science, and susceptible of demonstration ; aud all that 

 Fourier has been able to demonstrate with them is admitted. 



There can be no doubt that one principle of tinity governs all the 

 infinite varieties of nature, aud that the-ie varieties must therefore 

 correspond to one another in some degree of close or of remote analogy 

 as well as to the One principle in which they all unite ; aud hence the 

 evident necessity of Universal analogy as a connecting link in nature, 

 and a ladder for the human mind to climb upon in rising to tho 

 infinitely great, or in descending to the infinitely small in creation. 



That order is heaven's first law, the law of universal harmony in 

 fact, there cannot be a doubt in healthy mind.* ; and that variety is 

 harmonised in unitary order, by the law of series or gradation, is 

 self-evident, and hence the truth of Fourier's second theorem. The 

 application of this law however is infallible in superhuman wisdom 

 only, not in fallible humanity ; and hence it is that Fourier's school 

 accept the law of order or series, as he explains it scientifically, but 

 reserve their free assent in cases where a special application of this law 

 is not sufficiently supported by experience or scientific demonstration. 



That the general impulsions of created beings are adapted to the 

 ends for which they are created, it a theorem which c inuot be denied 

 without imputing imperfection to the author of our being ; and hence 

 the first theorem of Fourier, that attractions are proportional to final 

 destinies. 



From this he argues that the affections and desires of human nature 

 for individual and social happiness, are permanent impulsions de-iini-.l 

 to seek, aud ultimately to find, the laws of their harmonious satisfaction. 

 He also argues that these innate aspirations are eternal, ami that they 

 cannot be eradicated from the soul, but that they may be, and too 

 often are, corrupted by temptation, instead of being developed in 

 harmonious discipline. Whence he concludes that the disciplines of 

 life for every age and occupation, or tho institutions of xociety in moril 

 and religious and industrial education, government and progress, are 

 alone within the power of man to alter and improve, as a medium of 

 due development for those impulsions which Oo-l has iinpl.in' 

 human nature, and over which man has no control but that of 

 pliue, which may be good or bad, general or partial, ami which may 

 influence the destiny of human souls for good or evil, though it cannot 

 alter human nature. 



Fourier's whole life was devoted to this problem of social disciplines 

 in every sphere of lif.-, but particularly in the sphere of racial in lustry. 

 Whether his solution of the problem be complete or not, it can hardly 

 be denied that he has thrown considerable light o;i many questions 

 of the highest moment to the present and the future welfare of 

 mankind. 



The general tone of his mind may be gathered from his answer to 

 an allegation of scepticism mode in the ' Uazetto of France,' two years 

 before his death. He states that " there are two doctrines which he 

 could not deny without denying his own : the doctrine of Christ in 

 religion, that of Newton in science." Religious and political discussions 

 are carefully avoided in all Fourier's writings. He professes not to 

 meddle either with the throne or the altar. He establishes a 'School 

 of Science,' but denies that he has any wish to form a new religion. 



