The Nationalist was an American

socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...

magazine established in

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut assachusett writing systems, məhswatʃəwiːsət'' English: , ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is the most populous U.S. state, state in the New England ...

in May 1889 by adherents of the

utopian A utopia ( ) typically describes an imaginary community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its members. It was coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book ''Utopia'', describing a fictional island society ...

ideas of writer

Edward Bellamy Edward Bellamy (March 26, 1850 – May 22, 1898) was an American author, journalist, and political activist most famous for his utopian novel ''Looking Backward''. Bellamy's vision of a harmonious future world inspired the formation of numerou ...

in his 1888 book,

Looking Backward ''Looking Backward: 2000–1887'' is a utopian science fiction novel by Edward Bellamy, a journalist and writer from Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts; it was first published in 1888. The book was translated into several languages, and in short or ...

. Published by a "Nationalist Educational Association" closely associated with

Nationalist Club Nationalist Clubs were an organized network of socialist political groups which emerged at the end of the 1880s in the United States of America in an effort to make real the ideas advanced by Edward Bellamy in his utopian novel ''Looking Backwa ...

No. 1 of Boston, the magazine served as the national organ of the Bellamyite movement in the United States until being supplanted by the weekly newspaper ''

The New Nation ''New Nation'' was a weekly newspaper published in the UK for the Black British community. Launched in 1996, the newspaper was Britain's Number 1-selling black newspaper. The paper was published every Monday. ''New Nation'' was initially lau ...

'' in 1891.

Publication history

Background

The January 1888 publication of the

utopian socialist Utopian socialism is the term often used to describe the first current of modern socialism and socialist thought as exemplified by the work of Henri de Saint-Simon, Charles Fourier, Étienne Cabet, and Robert Owen. Utopian socialism is often de ...

economic novel '' Looking Backward: 2000-1887,'' by

was greeted with acclaim in a small circle of intellectual society, primarily in

, home of the book's publisher, Tichenor and Company. ''

Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

'' journalist

Cyrus Field Willard Cyrus Field Willard (August 17, 1858 – January 17, 1942) was an American journalist, political activist, and theosophist. Deeply influenced by the writing of Edward Bellamy, Willard is best remembered as a principal in several utopian socialist en ...

was among the first of those moved to political activity by the book's economic vision, and he wrote to the author, asking for Bellamy's blessings for the establishment of "an association to spread the ideas in your book." Bellamy had responded to Willard's appeal positively, urging him in a July 4 letter:

"Go ahead by all means and do it if you can find anyone to associate with. No doubt eventually the formation of such Nationalist Clubs or associations among our sympathizers all over the country will be a proper measure and it is fitting that Boston should lead off in this movement."

No formal organization immediately followed based upon Willard's efforts, however, and it was not until early September 1888 that an entity known as the "Boston Bellamy Club" independently emerged, with Charles E. Bowers and

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

General Arthur F. Deveraux playing the decisive organizing role.Willard, "The Nationalist Club of Boston (A Chapter of History)," pg. 18. The following month Willard's small Nationalist circle joined forces with the Boston Bellamy Club, establishing "a permanent organization to further the Nationalization of industry."Willard, "The Nationalist Club of Boston (A Chapter of History)," pg. 19. The first regular meeting of this remade organization, the First Nationalist Club of Boston, was held on December 1, 1888, attended by 25 interested participants, with Charles E. Bowers elected chairman. A committee of 5 was established to create a plan for a permanent organization, including ''

Boston Herald The ''Boston Herald'' is an American daily newspaper whose primary market is Boston, Massachusetts, and its surrounding area. It was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It has been awarded eight Pulit ...

'' editorial writer Sylvester Baxter, Willard, Devereaux, Bowers, and

Christian socialist Christian socialism is a religious and political philosophy that blends Christianity and socialism, endorsing left-wing politics and socialist economics on the basis of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus. Many Christian socialists believe capi ...

clergyman W.D.P. Bliss. The genteel First Club of Boston would have 107 members by the end of 1889, adding to its ranks author

Edward Everett Hale Edward Everett Hale (April 3, 1822 – June 10, 1909) was an American author, historian, and Unitarian minister, best known for his writings such as "The Man Without a Country", published in ''Atlantic Monthly'', in support of the Union dur ...

, magazine editor

William Dean Howells William Dean Howells (; March 1, 1837 – May 11, 1920) was an American realist novelist, literary critic, and playwright, nicknamed "The Dean of American Letters". He was particularly known for his tenure as editor of ''The Atlantic Monthly'', ...

, and prominent socialist writer

Laurence Gronlund Laurence Gronlund (, Available 1844–1899) was a Danish-born American lawyer, writer, lecturer, and political activist. Gronlund is best remembered for his pioneering work in adapting the International Socialism of Karl Marx and Ferdinand La ...

.Frederic C. Jaher, "Nationalist: Boston, 1889-1891," in Joseph R. Conlin (ed.), ''The American Radical Press, 1880-1960.'' Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1974; pg. 34. The group would dominate the initial phase of the American Nationalist movement. It would be this local group which, through a publishing arm known as the Nationalist Educational Association, would launch ''The Nationalist'' in May 1889 as a vehicle to extend Nationalist philosophy and political ideas to the general public.Arthur Lipow, ''Authoritarian Socialism in America: Edward Bellamy and the Nationalist Movement.'' Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1982; pg. 124.

Establishment

The first issue of ''The Nationalist'' bore a cover date of May 1889 and contained a Declaration of Principles inside its front cover that made the group's perfectionist goals, declaring:

"The principle of the Brotherhood of Humanity is one of the eternal truths that govern the world's progress on lines which distinguish human nature from brute nature. The principle of competition is simply the application of the brutal law of the survival of the strongest and most cunning. Therefore, so long as competition continues to be the ruling factor in our industrial system, the highest development of the individual cannot be reached, the loftiest aims of humanity cannot be realized."

First Editor of the publication was

Henry Willard Austin Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) * Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...

, a graduate of

Harvard College Harvard College is the undergraduate college of Harvard University, an Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636, Harvard College is the original school of Harvard University, the oldest institution of higher lea ...

, lawyer, poet, Theosophist — and alcoholic.Jaher, "Nationalist: Boston, 1889-1891," pp. 34-35. His tenure at the editorial helm would be brief, replaced by an English émigré, attorney John Storer Cobb.

Development and demise

The publication never managed to achieve a mass circulation of paid subscribers, peaking at about 9,000.Frederic C. Jaher, "Nationalist: Boston, 1889-1891," in Joseph R. Conlin (ed.), ''The American Radical Press, 1880-1960.'' Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1974; pg. 35. As expenses began to outpace revenues, effort was made to bolster the flagging publication by adding Edward Bellamy himself to the editorial staff. Due to the author's ill health this effort came to naught, however, effectively sealing the erudite magazine's fate. Deeply in debt and with its potential readership undercut by the January 1891 appearance of Edward Bellamy's weekly newspaper ''

,'' the final issue of ''The Nationalist'' appeared under a cover date of "March–April 1891." The publication's demise marked the end of the early "philosophical" phase of the Nationalist movement and the rise in influence of those seeking concrete

political action In sociology, social action, also known as Weberian social action, is an act which takes into account the actions and reactions of individuals (or ' agents'). According to Max Weber, "Action is 'social' insofar as its subjective meaning takes ...

to implement Bellamy's vision in the United States.

Publication history

Background

Establishment

Development and demise

Footnotes

Further reading