Date of Award

Winter 1-29-2026

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

History

First Advisor

Lila Knolle

Abstract

Following the Industrial Revolution, Americans were required to adapt to the nation's new capitalistic society. Witnessing the subsequent struggle of working-class families, 20th century Christian socialist Roland D. Sawyer was resolved to advocate for a reformed economic structure. This paper is dependent entirely on primary sources in the Roland D. Sawyer Collection, available in the University of New Hampshire's Milne Special Collections. Studying Sawyer's autobiography and various socialist writings illustrates his idea of a good life for the American working-class and how they were to achieve it through the adoption of a socialist doctrine. Throughout his activism, he encouraged Americans to pursue equality in every part of their lives, from the religious to the intellectual. In this pursuit, Sawyer hoped for Americans to find community and happiness in their economic freedom.

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