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Oneida Community Research Paper

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The Limiting of Members Freedom and Individualism in the Oneida Community In 1848 John Humphrey Noyes founded a community based on spiritual perfectionism, communalism, complex marriage, and mutual criticism in Oneida, New York. The 19th century had several Utopias practicing their own beliefs, but none as radical and restrictive than the Oneida community. Noyes being the founder and community leader set standards and rules for all community members to follow which often limited their individualism. The ultimate demise of the community can partially be attributed to the limiting of the community member’s freedom and individualism. The 19th century promised many great social and technological advances such as, reconstruction, many immigrants moving to America, the industrial revolution, and the first phone call. All these advances lead to a social change in American society. This was also the first time that American women, specifically the working class, were being allowed to work. Often finding work in factories, it was the first taste of independence outside of the household …show more content…

The communal lifestyle led to everyone knowing each other’s business and often restricted parents from interacting with their children. In the mansion house, doors were only allowed to be closed during intimate relations, not when parents wanted to interact with their children. Raising children was seen as a community practice, the children did not only have one set of parents, they had a community. “Special love” was forbidden from the community and that could be between a couple or a family. John Humphrey Noyes viewed the bond between the mother and the child was seen as the ultimate sin. While the communal lifestyle did not directly limit member’s freedoms, the religious practice of these rules limited parents rights to see their

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