Robert Owen's Experiment at New Lanark: From Paternalism to Socialism

Ophélie Siméon's study challenges the dominant narrative of Robert Owen's role at New Lanark, revealing that the factory village was not merely a passive recipient of his reformist ideas but an active 'laboratory' where his socialist principles were developed and refined. Through meticulous archival analysis, she demonstrates that key elements of Owenite socialism—such as labor notes and committee representation systems—emerged from practices already in place at New Lanark before Owen's tenure. Siméon also highlights the contributions of David Dale, Owen's father-in-law, and the tensions between Owen's paternalistic management style and worker resistance, which foreshadowed later failures in his utopian experiments. Her work demythologizes New Lanark while acknowledging Owen's transformative impact, offering a nuanced perspective on the origins of British socialism.

Allison, M. (2018). Robert Owen’s Experiment at New Lanark: From Paternalism to Socialism. Utopian Studies, 29(3), 417–420. https://doi.org/10.5325/utopianstudies.29.3.0417