Robert Owen
Topic: The Age of Industrialisation · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Robert Owen (1771–1858) was a Welsh-born mill owner and social reformer. He believed that a better environment makes better people. At his cotton mills in New Lanark, Scotland, he paid better wages, provided decent housing, cut child labour and opened schools, including an infant school. He is seen as an early socialist and a founder of the cooperative movement.
Example
In 1825, Owen founded an ideal community called New Harmony in Indiana, USA, where people shared work and property. It failed within a few years.
Don't confuse with
- Chartism: Chartism was a mass workers' movement for voting rights. Owen worked for reform through model factories and cooperatives.