Fabian Society: Roots, theory and practice of socialist think tank
Mehmet Hasan Bulut/ Daily Sabah :
Philosopher Thomas Davidson, who was born in Scotland in 1840, traveled to Italy and conducted research on the philosopher Thomas Aquinas, poet Alighieri Dante, philosopher Giordano Bruno and priest Antonio Rosmini. On his return to England, he began holding meetings and explaining his ideas to people with the aim of “reorganizing human life” and elevating community life to higher levels. Thus, he attracted a group of people who were fond of social reform and philosophy. Together with these admirers, they decided to establish a society in London in September 1882. The society was called the Fellowship of the New Life. Davidson had taken the title “New Life” from Dante’s text “The New Life” (“La Vita Nuova”).
Davidson developed a program for the society they founded and called it “Vita Nuova.” The program’s goal was determined as “the cultivation of a perfect character in each and all” with the principle of “the subordination of material things to spiritual things.” The New Life program was like a new religion, God was love and meditation in silence was considered worship. It was forbidden to gossip and talk in a bad way. The concept of personal property did not exist. Marriage would be monogamous and for love only. Everyone was responsible for what they did. All titles, social inequalities and family prestige had to be given up. Everyone had to dress simply, but tastefully. There was no distinction between the genders. In this society, authority was dependent on principles, not people.
According to the program, members of the Fellowship of the New Life were to meet regularly. These people were to lead a simple life based on the predetermined moral rules and live a new life based on humility, love and wisdom. After this, they had to look for a suitable place to settle down where they could pursue this life together, form a community, encourage others around them to live this new life, offer courses and then gradually bring change in the society.
Young members of the Fellowship of the New Life with socialist ideas objected to Davidson, saying that this goal based on individual volunteerism was too utopian and would take a very long time. The arrival of the new life, that is, the new age life, had to be accelerated by scientific methods to be applied from the top down. But Davidson, who was selfish and reserved in his ideology, turned down their suggestions. After this, these members parted ways with the Fellowships of the New Life and formed their own group, that is, the Fabian Society, on Jan.
4, 1884, the year following the death of Karl Marx. Although they followed different methods, both societies continued their friendly relations.