“Socialism“namesaformofcollectivelifethathasneverbeenfullyrealized;consequently,itisbestunderstoodasagoaltobeimagined.Sothisstudyargues,andtherebyuncoversanaestheticimpulsethatanimatessomeofthemostconsequentialsocialistwriting,thought,andpracticeofthelongnineteenthcentury.ImaginingSocialismexploresthistraditionofradicalactivism,investigatingthediversewaysthatBritishsocialists--fromRobertOwentothemid-centuryChristianSocialiststoWilliamMorris--marshalledtheresourcesoftheaestheticintheireffortstosurmount“politics“anddevelopnon-governmentalformsofcollectivelife.Theirambitiousattemptsatsocialregenerationledsomesocialiststoexploretheliberatorypossibilitiesaffordedbycooperativelabor,women’semancipation,politicalviolence,andthepoweroftheartsthemselves.ImaginingSocialismdemonstratesthat,farfrombeingconfinedtothe“socialistrevival“ofthefindesi癡cle,importantsocialistexperimentswiththeemancipatorypotentialoftheaestheticinBritainmaybefoundthroughouttheperioditcallsthe“socialistcentury“--andmaystillinspireustoday.
