Albert Brisbane
Albert Brisbane was a prominent American social theorist of the nineteenth century, recognized as the chief proponent of Fourier Socialism in the United States. Born in Batavia, New York, he was influenced by his father's successful background and received an education that introduced him to European intellectual traditions. After studying under Jean Manesca in New York City, Brisbane traveled to Europe, where he engaged with various philosophers, including G. W. F. Hegel and Charles Fourier. His encounter with Fourier's philosophy, which advocates for a society organized into small, self-sustaining groups, resonated with Brisbane’s quest for social progress.
Brisbane returned to the U.S. and authored "The Social Destiny of Man: Or, Association and Reorganization of Industry," promoting cooperative industry and equitable profit distribution. This work generated significant interest in Fourier's ideas and led to the establishment of two communal societies, Brook Farm and Red Bank, in New Jersey, although both ultimately failed. Throughout his life, Brisbane remained committed to his socialist ideals, further expressed in his later work, "General Introduction to Social Sciences." He passed away in Virginia in 1890, leaving behind a legacy that continued through his wife, Redelia Brisbane, who published his autobiography posthumously.
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Albert Brisbane
Utopian Socialist
- Born: August 22, 1809
- Birthplace: Batavia, New York
- Died: April 28, 1890
- Place of death: Richmond, Virginia
Biography
Albert Brisbane, a nineteenth century American social theorist, was the leading advocate of Fourier Socialism in the United States. Brisbane was born in Batavia, New York. His father was James Brisbane, an influential landowner. In 1824, Albert Brisbane was sent to New York City to study under Jean Manesca, who introduced Albert Brisbane to European scholarship. Under Manesca’s influence, Brisbane became obsessed with the question of the progress of humanity in society.
In 1828, at the age of nineteen, Brisbane decided to pursue the answer to his questions in Europe. While in Europe, Brisbane studied under many European philosophers, such as Victor Cousins, François Guizot, and G. W. F. Hegel. However, their philosophies failed to provide the answers that Brisbane sought. Eventually, Albert Brisbane met Charles Fourier in Paris and became a follower of Fourierism, a philosophy which advocates that society functions best when divided into small, self-sustaining groups.
Albert Brisbane brought the philosophy of Fourier back to the United States, where he published his most noted work on the subject The Social Destiny of Man: Or, Association and Reorganization of Industry. In it, Brisbane argues in favor of cooperative industry and an equitable distribution of profits for each individual. The book sparked widespread interest in the theories of Fourier. This interest enabled Brisbane to initiate two communal societies in New Jersey: Brook Farm and Red Bank. Although both communities failed to prosper, Brisbane continued his socialist theories. He reaffirmed these convictions in his 1867 publication of General Introduction to Social Sciences. Brisbane died in Virginia in 1890. In 1893, his wife, Redelia Brisbane, posthumously published his autobiography Albert Brisbane: A Mental Biography.