New-York daily tribune., 1844-02-12
Associations.
.n..xrlr. Editor efMe Hsrald !:

for q Fourlcrisin, as IL Is callcd, al
o iv ,be title is not recognized by The disciples
'a0qs ranyier as legitimate or proper, but having
~ adopted by the public, will not object to it
psn s.e,tl ~ and as perhaps you have not made
a AZ .nb;ect of Association and the system of Fou
'a ..s mpch study as the writer, | will give
zaa some correct information regarding them on
y. ;, tvo points, which trust, from scnti-
t If Justice, you will lay before your readers
''Ig r,st, then, disayow for the system of Asso-
.,;on discovered by Fourier, and totally deny
,s, IN principles or doctrines it has any thing in
'pa. .aon 80. with the views imputed to Owen, Fanny
,v.rbt ,v- Collins, CADET in France, or amy (held
..,s .s where By the disciples of Fourier to be-
.,o., v, false and odious doctrines Of community
fnnDerty, ofirreligion, Of levcling equality, Or
~ sn,rans,n. They advocate system Of Soci-
str based upon laws Of Divine order,-upon the
AVS which the Divinity makes use Of in govern
,r the Universe, and it was to the discovery of
.be,e laws in their various Spheres and their ap-
nrcation TO the social relations of mankind, that
m Fourier devoted forty years of labor and untiring
.esearch and instead Of wishing to destroy what
/, epure and lovely, in the present organization
i socicty,p as you state, he wishes on the con-
,,arv TO elevate all that is now false, discordant
and degraded to state of harmony with those
laws, rendering truly WHAT'S "pure and lovely"
universal.
You have confoundcd and mingled the doc.
tnpes of Owen and ]. C. Collins with the social
principles discovered by Fourier, and you have
imputed to the latter the destruction Of the g fam
iy Circle the :" family home," &c. In the pre-
sent article will point out a few OF the leading
contrasts between the doctrines Of Mr. Owen and
those Of Fourier, so as to answer the first charge
which you bring and in another article | will
answer the second charge relating te the dcstruc-
ton of the family home and circle.
First point of coat,ust.-Mr. Owen abolshcs
individual property, and establishes community
Of property in its place. This the disciples of
Fourier look upon as a negative and destructive
doctrine, and as radical mistake on the part of
MI. Owen and his followers, and SO far from fol-
lowing it, a primary object Of Fouricr's system
il 10 render every individual a proprietor, or TO
enable every one to become possessed OF proper
ty In an Association, the members must be
jont owners of its property, co-lnterested part
ners united in intcrcsts-and not dependents,
working for wages or salary.
ln the system of Fourier, all individual rights
are sacredly respected and maintained, the first Of
which is the right Of property. The disciples
Of Fourier look upon a community Of property
as the grace Of indiridual liberty, and this de-
claaton they take as one of their mottos Not
only is individual property maintained IN this
system Of Association which Fourier proposes,
but the means of acquiring it are extended TO all
Ito the woman and the child, as well as to the
man, both of whom are now deprived OF the
night and of the reality.
Wemay say, and with truth, that in the pre-
sent system of Society, individual property, al
though recognized in principle, exists in reality
merely as an exception. How many persons,
would ask, own any property at present IN Their
own individual rights? Not one out of ten
women ncluded-ln this country, and In Europe,
not one out of fifty. Individual property with
Its most important and valuable result-pecanla-
ry lpdependence-exists then only as an eXcep-
tlon which exception confirms the general rule
the extremely limited existence of individual
property, and general state Of pecuaiary de-
penGeRce
One OF the great and essential aims Of Asso-
ualon is to remedy this false and unjust state of
things and this it will do: first, by establishing
Just and equitable division of profits, giving TO
every person the fruit of his or her labor; second,
Oy securing to each and every individual a free
CaoNe Of occupations, and constant employment;
anu 'hFd, by increasing greatly production or the
lea wealth of society through "a udlclous appll-
cauonof Labor Capital and Talent, and a sys-
'sm Of d,gnihed and dttractirc Industry, which
VIII induce all to take part in the work Of pro-
ducton. In a Social Order in which, these three
sS are fulfilled, every individual will be
Iae 10 accumulate property, and the calling ana
assfda'ng pecun'ary dependence which exists
" generally at present will be swept from the
lihose who desire a true knowledge on these
po'a,s can consult a small work entitled 'C Con-
''Se Exposition Of the Doctrine of Association"
"sicn J, Is to be found at Burgess & Stringer's,)
: oee0nd point Of CoatraSs.-Mr Owen abolish
: 'ne organization of the Church, and public re-
lssoas worship. Some of his followers differ from
nia IN TINS respect, but he, nccnscd no doubt at
! .'aily o. the abuses which he saw around hlm
"a sne Church and of which history preserves the
e1oiu was led 10 abolish all church and religious
Nganizatlons. We hold this to be a second radi-
~ error To wish to abolish religion because IN
.ne hands OF the selfish, the fanatcal and OF ig-
'o'aht sectarlans, ii has been often abused and
'ppned Y to evil purposes, is indeed a great mis-
- sourier recognizes the religious sentiment as
~ ,aa. fundamental, or, as he calls it, the pic0tel
s;a'iihent IN the human SOUL around which all
,l .,liof sentiments and faculties are grouped IN
wv The Religious sentiment elevates
,au uiversallzes the minor sentiments, and leads
@s ssasef TO Unity with God; and The minor senl-
he 1ea,s p when rightly developed, prevent in turn
.s ,". Nehglous sentiment from falling into cold
a@s.efily, a.s.y, ianaticism and bigotry. Religious
t.'S,Ip ~ and the Church are the external forms of
'1S NeIlOlOuS Spnf,nont To II