The American Fabian Movement
| Date | 01 June 1948 |
| DOI | 10.1177/106591294800100202 |
| Author | Thomas P. Jenkin |
| Published date | 01 June 1948 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
113
THE
AMERICAN
FABIAN
MOVEMENT
by
THOMAS
P.
JENKIN
University
of
California
at
Los
Angeles
American
Fabian
socialism
was
established
in
what
seemed
to
be
pro-
pitious
circumstances.
Its
inauguration
occurred
in
a
period
that
had
pro-
duced
a
proliferation
of
populist
ideas;
it
had
the
example
of
more
than
a
decade
of
practice
by
its
English
predecessor
and
model;
its
leaders
included
men
of
capacity
and
enthusiasm.
But
in
spite
of
these
advantages,
American
Fabian
endured
for
less
than
a
decade.
It
is
the
purpose
of
this
article
to
examine
the
development
of
this
movement
and
to
assess
the
reasons
that
contributed
to
the
brevity
of
its
existence.
I
.
From
its
inception,
the
English
Fabian
Society
had
attracted
the
atten-
tion
of
many
reformers
in
the
United
States,
but
it
was
not
until
1894
that
the
interest
was
given
concrete
form.
The
genesis
of
the
first
American
society
in
that
year
was
the
result
of
a
confluence
of
forces
in
a
small
segment
of
United
States
radicalism:
the
ebbing
ferment
of
the
populist
movements;
the
domestic
results
of
a
still
discernible
economic
depression;
the
general
growth
of
socialism
in
the
United
States;
the
conviction
of
some
Christian
socialists,
notably
W.
D.
P.
Bliss,
that
Christian
socialism
required
a
practical
complement;
and
an
admiration
for
the
policy
and
the
success
of
the
English
society.
The
Reverend
William
Dwight
Porter
Bliss
was
the
founder
of
Fabianism
in
the
United
States.
He
was
a
Congregational
minister
at
Boston.
His
interpretation
of
the
social
gospel
included
a
conviction
that
the
political
activity
of
labor
was
essential
to
the
establishment
of
Christian
ethics.
His
religious
and
social
thinking
had
been
profoundly
influenced
by
Maurice
Kingsley,
the
English
Christian
socialist,
and
Bliss’
initial
socialist
activity
had
involved
the
establishment
of
the
first
Christian
socialist
society
in
the
United
States
and
the
foundation
of
its
journal,
The
Dawn.
Not
only
did
this
provide
experience
that
was
utilized
in
the
development
of
Fabian-
ism,
Bliss
also
liberally
engrafted
Christian
socialist
doctrine
to
Fabian
concepts.
After
the
failure
of
Weaver’s
People’s
Party
in
1892,
Bliss
con-
cluded
that
neither
Christian
socialism
nor
ordinary
political
action
was
sufficient
to
provide
needed
reform,
or
to
disseminate
Christian
socialist
edu-
cation,
or
to
effect
the
integration
of
scattered
reform
groups.
Fabian
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