Socialist thinkers: Charles Fourier (1772-1837)

Overview:

• although his early brand of socialism was short-lived and didn't attract a wide following, he's still important
• Marx and Engels thought him to be significant
• Marx's description of communism, the ultmate goal of his type of scientific socialism, owed much to the community-based ideas of Fourier

Key ideas:

• he saw socialism as a means by which people could re-kindle the community spirit that had been threatened by the growth of capitalism
• he believed that industrialistion…