Charles Fourier

One could judge the degree of civilization of a country by the social and political position of its women

— Charles Fourier

Civilization is a social plague on the planet, and vices are just as necessary to it as is a virus to disease.

— Charles Fourier

Any civilized administration, however organized, prefers its own good to that of the people.

— Charles Fourier

We must, then, apply the principle of Doubt to Civilization; we must doubt its necessity, its excellence, and its permanence.

— Charles Fourier

“Under civilization poverty is born of superabundance itself.”

— Charles Fourier

“Social progress and changes of historical period take place in proportion to the advance of women toward liberty, and social decline occurs…

— Charles Fourier

The Civilized… murder their children by producing too many of them without being able to provide for their well-being. Morality or theories…

— Charles Fourier

Despots prefer the friendship of the dog, who, unjustly mistreated and debased, still loves and serves the man who wronged him.

— Charles Fourier

Once upon a time people talked about the infallibility of the pope; today it is that of the merchant which they wish…

— Charles Fourier

“The philosophers say that the passions are too lively, too fiery; in truth they are weak and languid. All around one sees…

— Charles Fourier

It is known that the best nations have always been those which concede the greatest amount of liberty to women.

— Charles Fourier

“Philosophy was right to vaunt liberty ; it is the foremost desire of all creatures. But philosophy forgot that in civilized societies…

— Charles Fourier

To confound the tyranny of man there should exist for a century a third sex, both male and female, and stronger than…

— Charles Fourier

“It is easy to compress the passions by violence. Philosophy suppresses them with a stroke of the pen. Locks and the sword…

— Charles Fourier

The peoples of civilization see their wretchedness increase in direct proportion to the advance of industry

— Charles Fourier

...commerce, which is mistakenly classified among the productive forms of work, ought to be ranked first among the parasitical professions like those…

— Charles Fourier

Certainly in each social period, youth must be made to venerate the dominant absurdities.

— Charles Fourier

Attractions are proportional to destinies.

— Charles Fourier

“Love in the Phalanstery is no longer, as it is with us, a recreation which detracts from work; on the contrary it…

— Charles Fourier

Who is wiser: the man who plants flowers along life's way or the man who makes it bristle with thorns?

— Charles Fourier

The method of doubt must be applied to civilization; we must doubt its necessity, its excellence, and its permanence.

— Charles Fourier

The family is a group that needs to escape from itself.

— Charles Fourier

The extension of women's rights is the basic principle of all social progress.

— Charles Fourier

Hosts of merchants encumber the cities, and the streets are cluttered with solicitors who swarm without limit or purpose.

— Charles Fourier