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Robert Owen

Robert Owen Biography

Social activist

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“It is therefore, the interest of all, that every one, from birth, should be well educated, physically and mentally, that society may be improved in its character, - that everyone should be beneficially employed, physically and mentally, that the greatest amount of wealth may be created, and knowledge attained, - that everyone should be placed in the midst of those external circumstances that will produce the greatest number of pleasurable sensations, through the longest life, that man may be made truly intelligent, moral and happy, and be thus prepared to enter upon the coming Millennium.”

MenShouldWellsMayMadeCharacterInterestWealthNumbersMoralProduceAmountBirthCircumstancesIntelligentPreparedEducatedMidstSensationsEmployedMillenniumWell Educated
Author:Robert Owen
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“The advanced members of the medical profession know that the health of society is not to be obtained or maintained by medicines; - that it is far better, far more easy and far wiser, to adopt substantive measures to prevent disease of body or mind, than to allow substantive measure to remain continually to generate causes to produce physical and mental disorders.”

KnowsMindBodyCausesEasyProduceMembersDiseaseMedicineProfessionMedicalDisorderWiserMedical ProfessionMental Disorder
Author:Robert Owen
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“Where are these rational practices to be taught and acquired? Not within the four walls of a bare building, in which formality predominates... But in the nursery, play-ground, fields, gardens, workshops, manufactures, museums and class-rooms. ...The facts collected from all these sources will be concentrated, explained, discussed, made obvious to all, and shown in their direct application to practice in all the business of life.”

MadePlayFactsRoomsClassPracticeFourFieldsBuildingTaughtSourceWallGardenDirectObviousRationalMuseumsApplicationWorkshopsNurseryFormalityFour Walls
Author:Robert Owen
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“The advantage of pure, and the disadvantage of impure air are experienced each time we breathe, and all who understand the causes of disease know that an impure atmosphere is most unfavourable to the enjoyment of health, and an efficient cause to shorten human existence within the natural life of man. It is therefore most desirable that decisive measures should be devised and generally adopted to ensure to all a pure atmosphere, in which to live during their lives.”

KnowsMenShouldHumansCausesNaturalExistenceAirPureDiseaseAdvantageBreatheAtmosphereEnjoymentEfficientDesirableAdoptedDisadvantagesHuman ExistenceNatural Life
Author:Robert Owen
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“It is confidently expected that the period is at hand, when man, through ignorance, shall not much longer inflict unnecessary misery on man; because the mass of mankind will become enlightened, and will clearly discern that by so acting they will inevitably create misery to themselves.”

MenHandsActingMankindIgnorancePeriodsMassMiseryExpectedEnlightenedUnnecessary
Book:First American from the third London edition
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“Since the introduction of inanimate mechanism into British manufactories, man, with few exceptions, has been treated as a secondary and inferior machine; and far more attention has been given to perfect the raw materials of wood and metals than those of body and mind.”

MenMindHas BeensBodyGivenPerfectAttentionMaterialsMachinesWoodsBritishTreatedExceptionMetalsMechanismInferiorsMind And BodyIntroductionRaw Materials
Book:Essays on the Formation of the Human Character
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“My reason taught me that I could not have made one of my own qualities - they were forced upon me by Nature; that my language, religion, and habits were forced upon me by Society; and that I was entirely the child of Nature and Society; that Nature gave the qualities and Society directed them. Thus was I forced, through seeing the error of their foundation, to abandon all belief in every religion which had been taught by man.”

MenChildrenMadeReasonBeliefLanguageMy OwnQualitySeeingTaughtHabitFoundationErrorsAbandon
Book:The Life of Robert Owen Written by Himself: With Selections from His Writings and Correspondence
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“Society may be formed so as to exist without crime, without poverty, with health greatly improved, with little, if any misery, and with intelligence and happiness increased a hundredfold; and no obstacle whatsoever intervenes at this moment except ignorance to prevent such a state of society from becoming universal.”

IfsMayLittlesStatesMomentsPovertySocietyCrimeIgnoranceHealthBecomingUniversalAdversityMiseryObstacles
Book:The Life of Robert Owen Written by Himself: With Selections from His Writings and Correspondence
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“Is it not the interest of the human race, that every one should be so taught and placed, that he would find his highest enjoyment to arise from the continued practice of doing all in his power to promote the well-being, and happiness, of every man, woman, and child, without regard to their class, sect, party, country or colour”

MenShouldHumansWellsChildrenCountryHappinessWomenInterestPartyRaceClassPracticeTaughtColorHighestRegardOur ChildrenProsperityEvery ManAriseWell BeingWelfareHuman RaceEnjoymentColourAltruismPromotingMen WomenBenevolenceGoodwillSects
Book:A development of the principles and plans on which to establish self-supporting home colonies: as a most secure and profitable investment for capital, and an effectual means permanently to remove the causes of ignorance, poverty, and crime
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“It is particularly recommended, as a means of uniting the inhabitants of the village into one family, that while each faithfully adheres to the principles which he most approves, at the same time all shall think charitably of their neighbours respecting their religious opinions, and not presumptuously suppose that theirs alone are right.”

ThinkingMeanReligiousOpinionPrinciplesToleranceVillageApprovalNeighbourUniting
Book:Part 5. of the New Existence of Man Upon the Earth in Winch is Continued the Outline of Mr. Owen's Life...[etc]
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“The lowest stage of humanity is experienced when the individual must labour for a small pittance of wages from others.”

HumanityIndividualStageLabourLowestWages
Book:A development of the principles and plans on which to establish self-supporting home colonies: as a most secure and profitable investment for capital, and an effectual means permanently to remove the causes of ignorance, poverty, and crime
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“I was forced, through seeing the error of their foundation, to abandon all belief in every religion which had been taught to man. But my religious feelings were immediately replaced by the spirit of universal charity — not for a sect, or a party, or for a country or a colour — but for the human race, and with a real and ardent desire to do good.”

MenHumansRealCountryFeelingsSpiritDesireBeliefReligiousPartyRaceSeeingTaughtUniversalFoundationErrorsCharityHuman RaceColourAbandonReplacedSectsArdent
Book:The Life of Robert Owen Written by Himself: With Selections from His Writings and Correspondence
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“To preserve permanent good health, the state of mind must be taken into consideration.”

MindStatesTakenHealthPreservesPermanentConsiderationState Of MindGood Health
Book:The Book of the New Moral World: Containing the Rational System of Society, Founded on Demonstrable Facts, Developing the Constitution and Laws of Human Nature and of Society
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