Abby Livingston
Ms. Muir
English
12 December 2022
Hopedale: a Utopian Society Imagine you live in a society where practical christianity is the only acceptable way of life. This was the way the Hopedale people lived. Hopedale was a utopian society located in Eastern Massachusetts. Due to financial reasons, Hopedale ultimately failed. The 600 acres of land known as Hopedale was founded in 1886 by pastor Adin Ballou (Symynkywicz). Ballou’s vision for the community was to have a moderate community that balanced self-responsibility along with equality (Symynkywicz). Because of the Industrial Revolution, upper and lower classes were well defined. Capitalists were able to easily control production. Ballou did not believe in this way of life,
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He did not believe that this was an acceptable lifestyle. “The new economic order polarized humanity into two distinct categories: the capitalists and the laborers” (Symynkywicz). Hopedale did not use socialism, like most utopias, but rather a more ethical type of capitalism (Symynkywicz). This type of capitalism accounted for everyone, whether they were rich or poor. Because of the rise of the Industrial Revolution, Ballou believed that American Capitalism now only accounted for the rich. Along with a new economic system, Ballou also created a new religion. Ballou and his followers followed a religion called practical christianity. This religion combined transcendentalism and christianity …show more content…
“The failure of Hopedale, Ballou thought, was a clear indication that the people of his time remained unready for Practical Christianity” (Symynkywicz). Hopedale ultimately failed because the Draper family (George and Ebenezer) withdrew their support. The Drapers’ financial support was critical to the success of Hopedale. ¾ of the community holdings were withdrawn when the Drapers decided that the community was using too much of their finances, and was a burden to their individual success (ACHP). “Hopedale is a place of reinvention. . . Hopedale has undergone great changes—and is in the process of transformation once again” (NPS). Hopedale is now a town with a population of over 5,000. For more than 100 years, the Drapers’ very successful company continued to grow and develop. This was until 2020, when the company began destruction. Now, there is a historical national park called Blackstone River Valley that Hopedale is a part of