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Hopedale, A Moderate Utopia: Distinguishing Practical Christianity From Radical Idealism, Noah Symynkywicz

History & Classics Undergraduate Theses

Historians often define the utopian communities of the nineteenth century as those that tried to alienate themselves from their contemporaries in thought. However, a spectrum of these communities developed with a more ordinary worldview. Specifically, a community called Hopedale tried to balance elements of mainstream New England society with those of its “Christian socialist” leader, Adin Ballou. By looking at the community’s day-to-day life, this equilibrium becomes clear.