A New View of Society, or, Essays on the Formation of the Human Character: Preparatory to the Development of a Plan for Gradually Ameliorating the Condition of Mankind (London: Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown, 1816), Fourth Essay, 143–170

Robert Owen's fourth essay in 'A New View of Society' (1816) presents a revolutionary vision for societal transformation through education, arguing that it is the primary agent for political change and social regeneration. This essay builds on Owen's deterministic theories of character formation, developed during his work at New Lanark, and extends them into a national call to action. In the post-Waterloo era, Owen proposed establishing a nationwide network of educational institutions modeled after New Lanark's Institute for the Formation of Character, which had opened in 1816. His approach combined theoretical analysis with practical advocacy, aiming to ameliorate the condition of mankind by reshaping both individual behavior and societal structures. This essay reflects his long-standing interest in collective education, first publicly articulated in a 1812 address honoring pedagogue Joseph Lancaster.

Owen, R. (2020). A New View of Society, or, Essays on the Formation of the Human Character: Preparatory to the Development of a Plan for Gradually Ameliorating the Condition of Mankind (London: Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme and Brown, 1816), Fourth Essay, 143–170. Contemporary Thought on Nineteenth Century Socialism, 107–118. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429452376-19