Oneida Community

Definition

The Oneida Community was a religious and social utopian community founded in 1848 in Oneida, New York, by John Humphrey Noyes. It aimed to create a perfect society based on communal living, shared property, and complex marriage, rejecting traditional notions of monogamy and promoting a unique form of socialism. The community is significant in the context of utopian experiments and social reform movements during the 19th century in America.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Oneida Community was founded by John Humphrey Noyes, who believed in the possibility of achieving a sinless society through collective living and spiritual enlightenment.
2. Members of the Oneida Community practiced 'complex marriage,' which allowed for multiple sexual partners among adult members, challenging conventional family structures.
3. The community also operated a successful business manufacturing silverware and other goods, helping them sustain their economy while promoting their ideals.
4. Oneida's practices included communal child-rearing and shared responsibilities, aiming to create a more egalitarian society where traditional gender roles were minimized.
5. The community eventually dissolved in 1881 due to internal conflicts and external pressures but left a lasting impact on discussions about alternative lifestyles and social reform.

Review Questions

• How did the Oneida Community's concept of 'complex marriage' reflect its broader goals of social reform and communal living?
  • The Oneida Community's practice of 'complex marriage' was central to its goals of creating a new social order based on shared relationships and communal bonds. By allowing all adult members to be considered married to one another, they sought to eliminate jealousy and competition typical in traditional marriages. This radical approach aimed to promote unity and mutual support among community members, aligning with their broader aspirations for a reformed society that prioritized collective well-being over individual desires.
• Analyze the economic practices of the Oneida Community and how they contributed to its sustainability as a utopian society.
  • The Oneida Community implemented innovative economic practices that played a crucial role in its sustainability. They established cooperative businesses, most notably in manufacturing silverware, which allowed them to generate revenue while adhering to their communal ideals. By pooling resources and labor, the community maintained economic independence from external markets. This economic model not only supported their utopian lifestyle but also attracted attention from outside consumers, providing a tangible example of how alternative living could be economically viable.
• Evaluate the long-term impact of the Oneida Community on American social reform movements and its relevance to contemporary discussions about community living.
  • The Oneida Community had a lasting influence on American social reform movements by challenging conventional family structures and promoting ideas about communal living and shared responsibilities. Its emphasis on egalitarianism and the pursuit of moral perfection resonated with later movements focused on social justice and alternative lifestyles. In contemporary discussions about community living, the Oneida experiment serves as an important case study, illustrating both the potential benefits and challenges of creating utopian societies that prioritize collective well-being over individualism.

Related terms

Complex Marriage: A system practiced by the Oneida Community where all adult members were considered married to each other, promoting sexual relations among members to foster communal bonds.

Perfectionism: A belief system embraced by the Oneida Community that emphasized the possibility of achieving moral perfection and living a sinless life through communal practices and spiritual growth.

Utopian Socialism: A form of socialism that advocates for the creation of ideal societies based on shared ownership and egalitarian principles, often through community-based living.