Université d'Ottawa Universis. of Orcawa Charles Fourier and Charles Taylor: Romantic Expressivism and the Socialist Philosophy of Labour. Mathieu G. Ravignat Student number: 661094 Submitted to: Department of Political Science Thesis Advisor: Professor Douglas Moggach M.A. Thesis University of Ottawa Tuesday, August l"',2000 O Mathieu G. Ravignat, Ottawa, Canada, 2001 Nationai Library Bibliothèque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie Services services bibliographiques 395 Wetlington Street 395, nie Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON KIA ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Li'brary of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfichelfilm, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author' s ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT An exploration of the iink between romanticism as a Welfmscchmmgand the early socialist philosophy of labour. A romantic interpretation against the utopian sociaiist interpretations of Charles Fourier's thought using three criteria: materialism, expressivisrn and social estheticisrn. Authors found in text include: Charles Fourier, Charles Taylor, Karl Marx, Helvétius, George Lukacs, Robert Sayre, Michael Lowy, Saint-Simon, and Jacques Barnin, Keywords: Socialism; Utopian Socialism; Charles Fourier; Romanticism; Expressivism; Materialism. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................. -2 PART ONE: TI3E JZiDGMENT OF FOURIER ........................................................ -3 Chapter I: Introduction ................................................................................................. 3 1) Definition and Periodization of Rornantic Socialism............................................... 3 a) the Romanric Cenfiiry.. ................................................................................................ 3 b)prelimi~~mydefirzifio~~of ~~rnmzticsociu~i ................................................................. 7 c) perodizatiotz of Foz~rier's romantic sociaIim ..............................................................9 2) Literary Overview................................................................................................... -14 a) the Freudiian perspective ..... .. .................................................................................... 14 b) the SzrrreaZist perspective ........................................................................................... 15 c) the reacrionaty perqecrive ....................................................................................... -18 d) fie commzinist perspective- ....................................................................................... -22 3) Hypothesis................................................................................................................ 26 Chapter II: Definition of Fourier's Expressive Romantic and Sensualist Phiiosophy of Labour: an Answer to Marx .................................................................................... 30 1) Criterion 1: Extensions Into Reality(Materia1ism)................................................. 30 a) Marx, Fourier and materialism @rst argumenr)....................................................... -31 b) the French materiakt tradition................................................................................ -35 c) Fourier and HeZvé f izts ' materiah........................................................................... 39 d) Fourier, Nëwtorz mzd the theory of passionate attraction as a deMc sensrrirlism ........ 43 2) Marx, Fourier and Nature (Second Argument) ...................................................... 52 3) Not A-Historical (Third Argument)................................................. -62 4) mcellaneous Arguments....................................................................................... 75 5) Conclusion to Part One.......................................................................................... 78 PART TWO: FOURIER'S ROMANTIC SOCLALISM............................................ 83 Chapter IIk Fourier's Romantic Expressivism and its Consequences-..................... 83 1) Criterion 2: Subjectivism (Expressivism)-............................................................ -33 a) Fourier 's expressivM. ............................................................................................. 83 b) TqIor 's eqressivism ............................................................................................... -95 c) Taylor's artistically narruw tinderstanding of agen9. ..,. ...................................... 100 d) Fmirier 'sphilosophy of Iabo~iras mz eqressive senmal individalim and ils theory ofjustice mldemuirc@~~tÏon.................... ....................................................................105 Chapter TV: Fourier's Social Theory, Building a New Esthetic Society.................. 115 1) Criterion 3: Fourier and the Esthetic Outlook (Social Estheticism).................... 115 a) Fourier 's in fersilbjecfivity .......................... .. ........................................................... -120 b) the pqilio~meas un ordering principle ............................................................... 130 c) Fatrier alventor of new social rhyrhms .......... .. ....................................................... 133 4 the analogy of the opera and ils harrnony-.. .. ........................................................... 141 2) The Esthetic Project and Ie phalanstère ............ .. ................................................. 145 3) Conclusion to Part Two ......................................................................................... 155 4) Generai Conclusion................................................................................................ 156 BIBLIOGRAPHY...................................................................................................... 166 PART ONE: THE JUDGMENT OF FOITRIER Chapter I= Introduction 1) Definition and Periodization of Romantic Socialism a) the Romantic Century Socialism, in its modem form at least,' and Fourier's socialist project are inventions of the romantic century which starts with the publication of Rousseau's La Nouvelle Héloise. (1 76 1 ) and rose out of the enlightenment to reinvigorate European art, philosophy and society, by leaming its important lessons and Iunit~.~It is the century of revolution but also of reaction in almost every sphere of human thought. This century defended universal sufiage, freedom of the press, the separation of church and state, the emancipation of women, the democratization of justice and education, the abolition of slavery and the death penalty, the European Union and many other principles and projects realized and still to be realized today. Yet it is also the opposite: a century of restoration, and of absolute mle of tyrants, of social Darwinism, and a century of colonialism, and a retun to notions of Catholic supremacy. However, the romantic century is more than just a century, more than just a brief, Many have held afler Benoit Malon's Hktoire du socialisme depuis les temps les plus reculés jusqu'à nos jours. Paris: Dewaux Éditeur, 1927, that socialism as a political philosophy has its roots as far back as the Essenes or Plato through to the early Christians and has been present in history in one form or another throughout the ages. Others like Alexandrian in the introduction of his Le socialisme romantique. Paris: Éditions du Seuil, 1979, believe that this is a confùsion between the history of socialism and the history of social ideas. But what is sure is îhat socialism as we know it today including its various schools, fiorn Anarchism to Marxism emanate fiom the Romantic perîod. Van Tieghem, Philippe, Le romantisme fianes. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1966. contùsed, and heterogenous moment in time. It is also the origin of romanticism, a very complex WeItanschaznmg or worldview? As a wodd view romanticism, liesubjectivism and rationalism before it, has a number of characteristics which have rernained with us since its inception and which have greatly contributed to western culture.' These characteIistics persist in various artistic and political forms today, such as expressionism, surrealism and ecology. According to Sayre and Lowy, many common characteristics exist between such varied romantics as Burke and Byron, Rousseau and Victor Hugo. But, according to them, these other common charactenstics are fàr outweighed by one major characteristic, which they explain as a form of anti-capitdism. It is this characteristic which is most important to this study of Fourier. Sayre and Lowy exphin that it has been a iong misconception that romanticism is only a response to the political upheavals of a post- revolutionary Europe. According