Harmonist Sustainability and Capitalism: A Tri-spherical Model

Abstract

The 19th Century Harmonists practiced a communal socialism in the pursuit of the American capitalist dream, while anticipating the second coming of Christ. To sustain and realize the perfect society, the Harmonists established a tri-spherical model which enabled them to negotiate between the inner communal socialist, external venture capitalist, and an over-arching spiritual millennialism. This study explores these issues.

Presenters

Silvia Rode
Professor, Assistant Dean, Director Center for Communal Studies, College of Liberal Arts, University of Southern Indiana, Indiana, United States

Details

Presentation Type

Paper Presentation in a Themed Session

Theme

Economic, Social, and Cultural Context

KEYWORDS

Intentional Communities, Sectarianism, Utopian Thought, Sustainability