Ohio History Journal


A GUIDE TO THE COMMUNISTIC COMMUNITIES

A GUIDE TO THE COMMUNISTIC COMMUNITIES

OF OHIO

 

 

BY KENNETH WILLIAM MCKINLEY

 

One of the greatest obstacles to the study of the social sci-

ences has been the inability to experiment. Human lives cannot

be molded and adjusted like so many pieces of metal or so many

chemical elements. For this reason it is important that history

be made the laboratory of the social sciences. The author of this

brief guide, therefore, feels justified in presenting in an historical

periodical an introduction to one phase of what might be termed

social experimentation in Ohio.

However, it must be remembered that the persons responsible

for starting what are now spoken of as experiments did not them-

selves look upon their work in this light. It is likely that the pro-

mulgators of each of the communities, which will be briefly de-

scribed, zealously believed that they were inserting the wedge

which would result in remaking the world. It is this sincerity

that makes the communities worthy of study.

It is the purpose of this article to make available a classifica-

tion of those Ohio communities which have been founded with the

idea of common ownership of property as one of the basic prin-

ciples in their operation. The author realizes that he is incapable

of interpreting and explaining thoroughly the theories of the pro-

moters of these communities or the reason for their ultimate

failure. He intends to give places, names and dates together with

sources for further information concerning each community. He

will leave it to the "original prejudice" of those who will use it

to prove what they wish from the facts presented.

The Shaker communities and the Zoar community have been

the subject of considerable writing. It is the hope of the author

that this guide will stimulate interest and study in the other com-

munistic communities of the State as well.

(1)