Cabet believed that education should be emphasized in the ideal community and he was determined to create an environment where the members had access to education. Members were required to take advantage of education opportunities. Cabet insisted that “all receive the same schooling” and that it not be restricted by societal rank and the purpose of education is “the forming of good workers, good parents, good citizens, and real men.”[1] Real men and good citizens, in Cabet’s mind, were those dedicated to the pursuit of perfection, the ones willing to sacrifice personal possessions with the desire to better the community. By insinuation, therefore, the men in power in France and Europe were not real nor were they particularly good, as they sought to suppress attempts at both equality and perfection by restricting the means for proper education on the basis of class.
Inspiration for stressing education comes directly from More’s Utopia. The members of Utopia, deprived of personal possessions, took pride in developing their intellect as their most valuable asset. But education was not about amassing knowledge; rather, education should be centered on producing a member of the community fit to contribute in a meaningful way.[2] The Icarians emphasized practical education as well so all members had practical skills to contribute toward the wellbeing of the community, such as woodworking, blacksmithing, etc. Cabet wrote that “education…[is] the foundation of society” and thus required that it be “provide[d] it for all children and provide[d] it equally.”[3] But even with the belief that education should be universal, Cabet also believed that some individuals were more apt for some positions than others, indicating that specialized education held more good for the society as a whole.[4] Diversity of skills and knowledge in the community allowed for more success and so Cabet did not believe the variety of education to be unequal. Instead, the variation held the potential for more equality as the needs of the community were addressed through the broader knowledge of many skills.
[1] Cabet, “Voyage en Icarie,” 147
[2] Sutton, “An American Elysium: The Icarian Communities,” 289
[3] Cabet, “Voyage en Icarie,” 147
[4] Cabet, “Voyage en Icarie,” 147