This Remarkable book, written soon after the French revolution, has traditionally been considered one of the founding documents of socialism. It introduces the best-known and most extraordinary utopia written in the last two centuries. Charles Fourier was among the first to formulate a right to a minimum standard of life. His radical approach involved a systematic critique of work, marriage and patriarchy, together with a right to a 'sexual minimum'. He also proposed a comprehensive alternative to the Christian religion. Finally, through the medium of a bizarre and extraordinary cosmology, Fourier argued that the poor state of the planet is the result of the evil practices of civilization.Contents:The Theory of the Four Movements and of the General Destinies1808 IntroductionPreliminary discoursePlanFirst Part: Exposition of Some Branches of the General DestiniesGeneral ideas about the destiniesPhases and periods of the social order in the third planet namely the earthEpilogue: On the proximity of the social metamorphosisSecond Part: Description of the Various Branches of the Private or Domestic DestiniesFirst account: On the progressive household of the seventh period, and on the discontents of the sexes in the incoherent householdSecond account: On the splendour of the combined orderOn the abandonment of moral philosophyThird Part: Confirmation Derived from the Inadequacy of the Inexact Sciences to Deal with All the Problems that the Civilised Mechanism PresentsFirst demonstration: Freemasonry and its still unknown propertiesSecond demonstration: The insular monopoly and its still unknown propertiesInterlude: System of development of CivilisationThird demonstration: Commercial licence: Its known vices and its unknown dangersEpilogue: On the social chaos of the globeOmitted Chapter: On Organic Movement and Compound Counter-Movement