The Icarians were followers of the 19th-century French social reformer Etienne Cabet, whose book 'Voyage en Icarie' published in 1840 describes his idea of a perfect commonwealth. Influenced by the British social reformer Robert Owen, Cabet wrote that this ideal community would have progressive taxation and compulsory work. Moreover, all property would be held in common, and all products of labour would be distributed according to need. The Icarians tried to put these theories into practice in the USA, making their first effort in 1848, in Fannin County, Texas. When this colony failed, a second one, under Cabet, was founded at Nauvoo, Illinois, in 1849. For a short time, the colony prospered, but because of internal dissension, Cabet was expelled in 1856 and died the same year in Saint Louis. Some of Cabet's followers settled in Cheltenham, Iowa, and this colony lasted until 1864. Other emigrants from Nauvoo established a settlement near Corning, Iowa, in 1860, which, with some interruptions, lasted until 1895. There was another
Icarian community in Cloverdale, California, from 1881 to 1887. Research Icarians
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Icarians
