Robert Owen: Education for a New Moral World

Robert Owen is a complicated historical figure. He holds competing reputations and today is claimed as an influence by thinkers ranging from socialists to educators to proponents of scientific management. During his lifetime, he said and did things to inspire each of these legacies. He advocated for universal education, communitarianism, and large-scale social reform, but his methods were paternalistic and did not always match up to his rhetoric. He made a fortune as an early industrial capitalist, only to spend much of his profits on experimental communities aimed at reorganizing society according to his moral vision. His thought was often lacking in intellectual rigor, yet he continues to influence scholars across many disciplines to this day. He was a man of contradiction and ego, yet also a social visionary who inspires people to fight for a better world through cooperation and education. This chapter will examine the man and his complex legacies, focusing on his work in education. It will historicize and contextualize his educational beliefs and practices and discuss his influence on future educators and theorists.