Fourier, Charles

(1772-1837)

   philosopher, economist

   The son of a wealthy merchant, Charles Fourier was born in Besançon, where he also studied at the university. In 1799, he began to write on politics and economics, and his first large work, Théorie des quatres movements et des destinées générales (1808), expounded his social system and his plans for the cooperative organization of society. In this and in other works (Traité de l'association domestiques et agricole, 1822; Le Nouveau Monde industriel et sociétaire, 1829) and in his weekly journal, Le Phalanstère, his system, known as Fourierism, was presented. It was based on his belief in a universal principle of harmony, displayed in four areas: the material universe, organic life, animal life, and human society. Fourier believed that this harmony could flourish only when the restraints placed upon the gratification of desire by conventional society have been abolished, allowing each person to live a free and complete life. The ideal harmoniousness was to be accomplished by the division of society into cooperative phalanxes, or communities, consisting each of about 1,600 individuals, living in the pha-lanstary, a vast communal dwelling placed in the center of a highly cultivated area. Elaborate rules were set down for conduct within the phalanx, and assignment of work was based on talent. Private property would still exist, but visible distinctions between rich and poor would be minimized. The phalanx's communal wealth would provide sufficiently for the basic needs of its members. Marriage in the traditional sense would be abolished and replaced by an elaborate system that regulated the community's social behavior. Fourier's utopian project was not realized, but Fourierism had a number of adaptations.