Icariye

Icariye is a term that can refer to several distinct concepts, most notably a historical French commune and a philosophical movement.

Historically, Icariye was a commune in the department of Loir-et-Cher in France, founded in the mid-19th century. It was an attempt to establish a utopian community based on the ideals of the French socialist philosopher Étienne Cabet. Cabet envisioned a society organized around communal ownership and principles of equality, drawing inspiration from Thomas More's "Utopia." The Icarian movement, as it became known, saw several attempts at settlement, not only in France but also in the United States, though these were often short-lived and faced internal divisions and external challenges. The French commune itself eventually dissolved.

Beyond the specific historical commune, "Icariye" can also refer more broadly to the Icarian movement and its associated philosophical ideas. These ideas centered on achieving a more just and equitable society through collective living and the abolition of private property. The movement's legacy lies in its contribution to early socialist thought and its experimental attempts at social organization, even if those experiments did not achieve lasting success. The name itself is derived from "Icaria," the fictional utopian island described by Cabet.