By: Christina Scatton

ED 530 Theorist PresentationSummer Semester 2010

Dr. Richard Clark

Robert Owen

-Robert Owen was born in Newtown,

Wales on May 14, 1771.

-He is famous for some new ideas which

he thought might make workers happier.

This was an unusual way of thinking

when he lived.

-He lived until November 17,1858.

- During his life he ran a mill in New

Lanark, Scotland, setup a colony called

New Harmony in the USA, and was one

of the founders of socialism and the co-operative movement.

Who Was Robert Owen?

Robert OwenImage Source:http://www.chorleyhistorysociety.co.uk/robert_owen.jpg

- Owen was a self-made, successful

entrepreneur

- He became a manager at the New

Lanark mill and one of the owners.

- It was at this mill that he was able to put

into practice some of his ideas on how to

treat workers and children better.

- He believed that if workers were happy

in their lives then they would be much

happier at work. This would mean that

they would work harder and produce

much more.

Early Life

Image Source: http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/lanark/newlanark/images/nl-aerial-450.jpg

-When Owen arrived at New

Lanark he found that the

workers had many problems

including poverty,

drunkenness, and worse.

-Many had not been to school

and a lot did not clean

themselves.

- Some were so poor they

could only afford to live in a

one room house.

Significant realizations

Mill workers at New Lanark in the 1890’s

Improvised children at New Lanark in the 1890’s

Images Source: http://www.newlanark.org/kids/villagers.jpg

-He also found that the people did not eat well. This made them unhealthy.

-This was because the shop where they bought their food often mixed unhealthy products into the main foods sold.

-Sugar, flour and tea would all be mixed with shoddy goods.

- This meant the shop made lots of money but the people were sold bad goods.

Significant RealizationsContinued

Inside Toad Lane, the Rochdale Pioneers shop. The beginning of today’s co-operative movement.

Image Source: http://www.cds.coop/coop_movement/new-to-co-ops/new-to-co-ops/Museuminterior.jpg/image_mini

- Owen decided to make changes at

New Lanark.

- Established a model factory:

- Paid fair wages

- Employed no child under age ten

- Free medical services

- Built affordable workers' housing

- Established schools

- Provided religious instruction and

recreational facilities

Owen’s Reactions

A dancing class at New Lanark

Image Source: http://www.infed.org/images/places/new-lan.jpg

- Visitors to the mill would comment about the excellent manners of the

children, the happiness of the workers, and how well run the mill was.

- Of course such changes did cause problems. The other owners of the

mill were always moaning that Owen’s ideas cost so much money.

Results of ChangesNew Lanark Mill

Image Source: http://www.uncp.edu/home/rwb/new_lanark1.jpg

- Having made a success of New Lanark he decided that he wanted to build ideal communities in which everyone worked in harmony and happiness.

- He wanted groups of families to live within the communities and help each out in their day to day lives.

- He believed this would end poverty.

Owen’s plan - In Owen’s communal society :

- All would share equally, regardless of contribution.-There would be no division of labor.-There would be no wage system.

- Individuals were “creatures of their environment;” character developed if the material and moral environment was proper.

Plans for Villages of Unity and Mutual Cooperation

Image Source: http://specialcollections.vassar.edu/exhibits/owen/assets/images/newlanark.jpg

- His most famous attempt to make this work happened in New Harmony, Indiana.

- Owen hoped that there would be lots of “utopian” communities like this.

- In reality, the community only lasted two years because it cost so much.

- Still, Owen’s accomplishments would leave an impact on society and lead the way to

a new way of thinking for workers.

Results of Co-operative Movement

Image Source: http://static.newworldencyclopedia.org/thumb/a/a9/New_Harmony_by_F._Bate_(View_of_a_Community,_as_proposed_by_Robert_Owen)_printed_1838.jpg/300pxNew_Harmony_by_F._Bate_(View_of_a_Community,_as_proposed_by_Robert_Owen)_printed_1838.jpg

Education in Robert Owen's New Society: The New Lanark Institute and Schools.

Retrieved May 24, 2010 from http://www.infed.org/thinkers/et-owen.htm.

Robert Owen (1771-1858). Retrieved May 24, 2010 from http://www.robert-owen.com/.

Robert Owen Biography: New Lanark Mills. Retrieved May 24, 2010 from

http://www.age-of-the-sage.org/historical/biography/robert_owen.html.

The History Guide to Robert Owen. Retrieved May 24, 2010 from

http://www.historyguide.org/intellect/owen.html.

References