Impossible Hope: An Exploration of Utopian Thought and Practice at Sointula

"Just as all the great celestial bodies of the universe form one harmonious unity, so nature in us, human beings, seeks harmony. " These words, spoken by the socialist Finn, Matti Kurikka, embody a vision of an improved world. Kurikka tried to implement this vision in the British Columbian utopian community of Sointula.

Yearning for a better society is not a recent phenomenon; on the contrary, throughout the past human beings have constantly used creativity and imagination to conceive of changes that would improve society. This yearning was defined by Thomas More with the term "utopia." The word "utopia" was chosen as a conjunction of no place (outopia) and the good place (eutopia): an ideal state of harmony. Although many attempts have been made to establish utopias, few have survived. Why is the failure rate so high? Part of the answer to this question is that there are many challenges facing utopias. Not only is it extremely complex to plan a theory for how a community will work, but the application of the theory is even more difficult. An overview of utopian thought will help place Sointula in the context of utopian history. In addition, an analysis of why Sointula emerged when it did, why Matti Kurikka was integral to the formation of the community, and who he was, will lead to an understanding of what the causes of failure were at Sointula.

Utopias and utopian thought are terms with varying definitions. Utopian thought may just be written about, yet it may also be applied in real life. Furthermore, the list of well-known utopian thinkers is extensive and includes Plato, More, Owen, Fourier, Saint-Simon, Wells and B.F. Skinner, to name a few. Some philosophers and historians argue that Marx and Engels can be added to this list because they were influenced by the"utopian socialism" of Fourier, Saint-Simon and Owen. Although Marx and Engels saw some good qualities in proposed utopias and actual experiments underway in England and the United States of America, they were skeptical of utopias. These fathers of socialism thought that utopian socialism was anti-scientific and anti-revolutionary because it usually tried to resolve class boundaries instead of allowing class warfare to culminate in revolution. Marx and Engels wanted to overthrow the existing capitalist system, while utopians usually try to create a separate system. There have been many utopias set up as experimental communities; they range from Owen's New Lanark, to the religious communal utopias of Hutterites, Shakers, Mormons and Theosophists in North America, to the hippie communes of the 1960s. Sointula was established as an intentional, separate community with hope of creating a better life. The founders of Sointula were influenced by the utopian socialist thinkers, especially Fourier and Saint-Simon. In addition, Sointula had qualities of a millennial movement because of Matti Kurikka's belief in theosophy and the Finns' desires to return to the myths of their ancestors.