Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-11-28
From the Boston Courier

UNITY OF INTERESTS. -"The present So
cial order," says Fourier, g is ridiculous
mechanism, in which portions of the whole
are in conf ct with and acting against the
whole. We sec each class in society desire
from interest, the misfortune of other class
es, and place in every way, individual inter
est in opposition TO public good. The law
yer wishes liligations and suits, particularly
among the rich; the physician desires sick
ness; the latter would be ruined if every bo-
dy died without disease, as would the former
ii all quarrels were settled by arbitration; the
soldier wants a war which will carry off half
his comrades to secure him promotion; the
undertaken wants burials; monopolists and
fores;allcrs want scarcity, to double or treble
the price of grain: the architect, the carpen-
ter, the masons want conflagrations, that will
bum down a hundred houses, to give activi-
ty to their branches of business, and thus
with other classcs.o
Unity of interests IS one Of the grand aims
of Association. We will briefly explain the
means by which it Will effect perfect unity
or identity of the individual with the collec-
tive interest Unless we can render the in
ierest of the whole that of the individual
or, in other words, unless we can establish
unity in the sphere of worldly interests, we
can never introduce practical truth and JUS
tice into the relations of men, nor attain
those higher unities in church and state, af-
ter which more advanced minds, sick of strife
dissension and controversy, are beginning TO
aspire. Let us explain how this primary
unity will be attained. ...
The interest upon the stock of the men,
bers of an association will not be paid out of
the product of this or that part of the domain.
or out of this or that branch of manufactures,
but out OF tho total product of the entire do
main and all branches of owning stock, if it
be but single share, will wish that every
portion of the soil should be cultivated in the
best manner and every branch of manufac-
lures prosecuted with the greatest skill and
| righteousness; the better all this is done the
larger will be the interest which each indi-
vidual will receive, and as the desire of urge
dividends will exist in associations, as at pre-
sent, there will be as consequence, ge-
neral desire on The part of all the members
to render the association in the highest de-
gree productive and prosperous.
Not only will every individual wish that
all branches of industry should be prosecu-
ted in the best possible manner, bat he will
wish that the ed:fices, tools, implements,
flocks, fences, &C., should be carefully taken
care of and preserved from injury or damage
for if any damage were done to them, the
expenses of Iepars would have to be deduc-
ted from the general product, which would
lessen the interest which he, in common
with other stockholders would receive.
What each individual member will wish,
the entire association will wish; and from this
unity of Interests will result concert of action
in prosecuting all branches of industry, and
a perfect unanimity of feeling in all pecuni-
ary affairs and Interests.
No one can promote his own prosperity,
without at the same time promoting the pros
perity of all those around him, and no one
can iniure his neighbor without inluring him.
self
1t is only in Join: ''ock associations, where
each individual is interested in the entire ca
pital invested, that perfect union OF inter-
ests can be established, and man eanbe mlde
to desire truly the welfare and prosperity OF
bis fellow man. From the solidity--ihis re-
ciprocai and mutual dependence-wili re-
suit unity of feeling, which will soon ex-
tend from pecuniary afflirs TO politics, reli-
gion, and other spheres of society.
What contrast between the system OF
industry, and particularly of agriculture, of
Association aud that of the present social or
der, Suppos, the lands Of an association
wore cut up into sii,,e farms, each cultivated
and managed ,cpsrase'y BY different owner,