“Mutual Duty” and “Entitlement” on Robert Owen’s Ideas

Abstract

Based on Robert Owen’s ideas of ‘unity and mutual co―operation’, this study examines his views, especially concerning ‘mutual duty’ and ‘entitlement’. By defining all the residents living in a community as co―operation, Owen’s ideas of ‘unity and mutual co―operation’ become important conceptions in promoting active participation of residents in the community. First, this paper reviews publications and records of speeches by Owen, sampling his use of the terms ‘mutual duty’ and ‘entitlement’, to examine his distinctive ideas regarding the differences between rights and obligations of civil society. The paper then moves on to discuss how his theory of ‘unity and mutual co―operation’, which Owen emphasised was necessary to achieve a rational state of human existence, is related to the concept of ‘community cohesion’ and continues to be widely used in public policy debates in the 21st century.