Charles Fourier (economic theorist)

Charles Fourier was a 19th-century French social theorist who criticized the existing industrial society and sought to create a more cooperative and humane way of organizing work and communities. He proposed that society should be divided into self-sufficient, harmonious communities called "phalanxes," where people would work according to their interests and passions. Fourier believed this system would reduce conflict, increase happiness, and distribute resources more fairly. His ideas emphasized the importance of fulfilling individual desires and fostering cooperation, laying early groundwork for utopian socialism and cooperative movements.