Reform

I chose the topic of ‘Reform’ for this blog post. In reading through ‘Give Me Liberty!’ by Eric Foner, I was really intrigued learning about all the groups and ‘resistances’ that sprung up all over the United States. Most of them I’d never heard of, so it was interesting learning about them and their policies.

In answering the question, “Were all of these movements really "reform" movements? That is, did all of these movements want substantive change in society or were they efforts to achieve a more uniform, homogenous society?” I tend to think that most of the movements really tried to achieve harmonious environments, but they just weren’t laid out correctly or the leaders had too high of ambitions. For example, in New Harmony, Robert Owen’s community in Indiana, he attempted to create a “new moral world.” (Foner, 416) “’The character of man is, without a single exception, always formed for him,’ Owen declared. Individuals could be transformed by changing the circumstances in which they lived. In Owen’s scheme, children would be removed at an early age from the care of their parents to be educated in schools where they would be trained to subordinate individual ambition to the common good. Owen also defended women’s rights, especially access to education and the right to divorce. At New Harmony, he promised, women would no longer be “enslaved” to their husbands, and the “false notions” about innate differences between the sexes would be abandoned.” (Foner, 416)

I believe Owen had the right ideas, but there was just too much freedom involved, as strange as that sounds, for the community to become really profitable. People were just not used to having that much freedom, I believe, so this ‘newness’ soon became too much to understand and undermined the whole operation.

Also, in answer to the beginning question, I think most of the movements really wanted to better the whole country as a whole, by starting small and ‘building it up from the ground,’ per se. They would work on starting their own little communities, and then gradually expanding from there.

They just didn’t realize that their ideas were just one small part of a huge nation, and there was no way to completely change the face of the US. Also, many people in the US saw the reform movements as “an attack on their own freedom.” (Foner, 417) They didn’t want their personal lives dictated to them. They preferred to be able to enjoy their freedom that they had received by living in the US. Many reformers spoke out about the evils of alcohol and sexual relationships, and the majority of the US preferred that their lives remained in their usual pattern. “’A Liberty Loving Citizen,’ of Worcester, MA, wondered what gave one group of citizens the right to dictate to others how to conduct their personal lives.”

Did the efforts of the reformers really work? Well, a few groups survived long enough to make a good impact. The Shakers and several other groups have been remembered over time, supposedly making a large enough impact to be recorded the history books. The Shakers, especially, worked hard for women’s rights, and are remembered for their participation in the Seneca Falls Convention, and also for their beautifully handcrafted furniture and wonderful cultural contributions.

Foner, Eric. Give me liberty! An American history. 2nd Seagull ed. New York: W.W.

Norton, 2009. Print.