Experimental Discourse and Fourierist Settlements in the 1840s and 1850s

Abstract

This article examines Fourierism as a socio-epistemic program, specifi-cally focusing on its experimental discourse encapsulated in Fourier’s concept of thephalanstère. The study is systematically divided into three main sections, where theinitial section introduces Fourier’s social philosophy, elucidating its theoretical foun-dations and characterizing Fourierism as anexperimental initiative merging theoryand practice. The subsequent section delves into the establishment and evolution ofthe experimental discourse among Fourier’s followers between the 1830s and the1870s. The emphasis here is on the dynamic interplay between conceptual frame-works and practical applications. The third section, finally, explores the colonial di-mension of Fourierism by using a case study of the Union agricole du Sig in Algeriato demonstrate the intersection of Fourier’s experimental model with the complexi-ties of colonial realities. The article concludes by underscoring the enduring legacyof Fourier’s experimental practices and their significant impact on social organiza-tion and theory, particularly within the cooperative movement. The experimentaldiscourse in Fourier’s model is highlighted as a pivotal aspect, thereby emphasizingits role and legacy in shaping and redefining social norms and structures.