Were Women in the Oneida Community Liberated or Oppressed by Bible Communism, 1848-1880?
Abstract The Oneida Community advocated a set of social and religious practices that were collectively referred to as “Bible Communism.” In addition to mandatory adherence to rules regarding exclusion of private property and communal responsibility, members of the Community were expected to abide by principles that directly affected their personal lives: the practices of complex marriage, mutual criticism and communal child-rearing. Although many members of traditional society perceived these practices as immoral and unacceptable, especially for women, there were some who viewed the practices as revolutionary. This project presents primary documents that enable the reader to reflect on this question.
