EXHIBITS
Extension, Enterprise, and Education: The Legacy of Co-operatives and Cooperation in Utah: United Order
United Order
Papers, Essays, and Manuals Written by Joseph A. Geddes That Shaped Perspective on the United Order and Cooperative Work
The United Order system of Latter-day Saints in Independence, Missouri, as well as the system the pioneers tried to recreate in Utah both focused on 1) individual stewardships, 2) joint stewardships, and 3) entire community economic programs.
“It also involved the following characteristics: a physical basis of a square mile; ten acre blocks with wide streets; residence lots of four rods, facing streets and extending back to the middle of the block for home and gardens; animals kept outside of the square mile limits; three full ten acre blocks in the middle of the mile square reserved for public buildings. These buildings would be coveniently [sic] located within walking distance of all citizens.”[1]
This setup focused on the community, creating ties with your neighbors and worshipping together. It also created space to encourage gardening and self-reliance. This system was re-created for the most part throughout Utah, with the exception of allowing animals within city limits in the larger cities.
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“It will be noted that careful planning was needed to insure that the connections between the physical layout and the spiritual results were fast and solid and were governed by the principle of relative equality, which pervaded the United Order revelations. Thus insuring that the ensuing results actually brought into existence the superior or Zion Community with few unsolved problems knocking at the doors and rich rewards coming to all of the members of the community. The community centers would thus be very active and succeeding community organs.”[2]
Thus church leaders used the organization of the community and environment to create certain mind-sets and ideals within the population.
According to the interview with Joseph Geddes, the purpose of the United Order was to focus, like a corporation, on each other. Men and women worked together to create a community of strength and the like-minded principles of helping and serving each other. Joseph Geddes says that it was ideas about free enterprise and individual market efforts that undermined the United Order, though he says that the two ideas can coexist if you strive for the ultimate purpose behind both ideals.
