Understanding Socialism and Women's Well-being

The question asks about the first socialist thinker who believed that the general well-being of society is incomplete if women are not included. This highlights an important aspect of early socialist thought and its connection to social equality.

Many early socialists criticized the social and economic conditions of their time, including the position of women. However, some were more explicit and foundational in linking the liberation or inclusion of women directly to the success and completeness of the socialist vision or the overall well-being of humanity.

Charles Fourier and Women's Liberation

Charles Fourier (1772-1837) was a French philosopher and early socialist thinker. He is considered one of the most significant figures in the history of utopian socialism. Fourier was a strong critic of the societal structures of his time, which he called 'civilisation'.

A central part of Fourier's critique and his proposed alternative social system, the 'phalanstery', was his view on women's rights and their role in society. Fourier famously stated that the degree of emancipation of women in a society is the natural standard for measuring general emancipation. This means he believed that you could judge how free or developed a society was based on how women were treated and included.

He argued that the oppression of women was a fundamental flaw in existing society and that their full participation and freedom were essential for achieving a harmonious and well-functioning society based on his principles. His ideas went further than many of his contemporaries in advocating for women's equality, including their right to work in any profession and their sexual freedom. He saw the inclusion and well-being of women not just as a matter of justice, but as crucial for the general well-being and progress of the entire community.

Therefore, Charles Fourier is widely recognized as the first socialist to explicitly and fundamentally link the general well-being and progress of society to the inclusion and emancipation of women.

Analyzing Other Options

• David Dale: David Dale (1739-1806) was a successful Scottish businessman and philanthropist, known for his New Lanark cotton mills, which were later managed by Robert Owen. While he implemented relatively better conditions for workers compared to the norm at the time and was involved in education and social welfare, he is not primarily known as a socialist theorist, nor is he recognized for being the first to link women's inclusion to general well-being in a theoretical socialist framework.
• William Thompson: William Thompson (1775-1833) was an Irish philosopher and social reformer. He was a prominent Owenite socialist and economist. Thompson wrote important works on political economy and cooperative communities. His book, "Appeal of One Half of the Human Race, Women, Against the Pretensions of the Other Half, Men" (1825), written in response to James Mill, is a significant work advocating for women's rights based on utilitarian principles and socialist ideas. While he was a strong advocate for women's equality within socialism, Charles Fourier's writings on the topic predated Thompson's major work and were arguably more foundational in integrating the principle into the core theory of socialism as a measure of progress.
• Matti Kurikka: Matti Kurikka (1863-1915) was a Finnish socialist, journalist, and utopian thinker. He was active much later than the key figures of early utopian socialism like Fourier and Owen. While he established utopian communities and had ideas about social reform, he is not historically considered the first socialist to articulate the principle mentioned in the question; this recognition belongs to earlier thinkers like Fourier.

Based on historical analysis of early socialist thought, Charles Fourier is credited with being the first to clearly articulate the principle that the emancipation of women is a measure of general emancipation and that their inclusion is integral to societal well-being.

Revision Table: Key Early Socialists

Additional Information on Women in Early Socialist Thought

Early socialist movements, particularly utopian socialism, often included discussions about the 'Woman Question'. Thinkers like Charles Fourier, Henri de Saint-Simon, and Robert Owen, among others, criticized the traditional family structure and the subordinate position of women under capitalism.

• Utopian socialists often proposed alternative community structures (like Fourier's phalansteries or Owen's villages of cooperation) where they envisioned more equitable roles for women.
• They criticized conventional marriage and advocated for changes in social customs and laws to grant women greater freedom and equality.
• Charles Fourier's specific idea that the progress of society could be judged by the progress in the position of women was a very influential concept that was later noted by thinkers like Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Engels, in "The Origin of the Family, Private Property, and the State," referenced Fourier's view approvingly.
• This early recognition within socialist thought paved the way for later socialist and Marxist feminists who continued to analyze and advocate for women's liberation as an inseparable part of the struggle for a classless society and overall human emancipation.