ABSTRACT
In February 1848, while the social upheavals which had spawned the Fourierist phalanxes were on the wane, the foundations for a new commune were laid. In terms of its human components, it was a landmark in the history of the American communes. For the first time a commune was established by American-born believers and which was not rooted in European secterianism, and without any immigrants among its founders. The commune was affluent, its industry had expanded, and hired labor exceeded the number of members. The commune exploited the situation and established several new industries; one of them, Oneida Silverware, would in time become the largest factory of its kind in the United States. The commune soon became a hotbed of dissension which threatened the very existence of Oneida. The young members, led by Theodore Noyes, continued to demand changes in the economic structure, to abolish the commune, and to establish a holding company that would collectively maintain production and property.
