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For the homonymous articles to see Shaker (homonymy)
The Shakers are the members of a sectarian branch of the Protestantisme born at the beginning of the 18th century. Their name could result in “agitated”.
Origin
The sect of the Shakers finds its origins in the prophecy of the Camisards of the the Cevennes pursued by the dragons of Louis XIV after the revocation of the edict of Nantes in 1685.Certain Protestants then develop visions millenarists of future time, thinking that the end of the world is close. As much of French Protestants, they are in the obligation to leave the France if they refuse the abjuration of their faith and the conversion with the Catholicisme. The “Cevennes prophets” thus exile themselves in England, with London in particular, where they find at the beginning a favorable reception among the English Protestants. The principal Cevennes prophet is Elie Marion. But quickly their radical austerity, more extreme still than the Puritanism than English practiced since the middle of the 17th century, the fact of becoming suspect with the eyes of the authorities. As much about sects Protestant women of this time, the “Cevennes prophets” worry by their handing-over in question of the established order and the risk of disorders which they can generate. The Cevennes ones, like certain English followers, proclaim in public their prophecies, in a very noisy and expressive style. At this point in time they gain their nickname of “agitated”, shakers in English.
America, new promised land
In 1708, persecuted by the English authorities, the Cevennes ones, joined by a certain number of English, leave the England to join the New England. Following many English puritans, and other groups pursued for their religious opinions, they see in the British colony a news Promised land enabling them to live their faith in his entirety. They thus settle in village communities. Their manners are very austere, the celibacy is obligatory and the private property is prohibited. In spite of the impossible biological renewal and the austerity of the Shakers, their movement is a rather fast success. The apogee of the Shakers is in the middle of the 19th century. They then count approximately 25 villages and 4000 members. But the decline follows closely, and today there remain nothing any more but 7 Shakers, all very old.
Shakers and design
The puritan convictions of the Shakers theirs made develop a clean style of furniture, stripped of any decorative addition. Regarded a long time as purely utility, Shaker furniture has these last years drawn the attention of designers which see there a prefiguration of the current minimalism. With the the United States, the Shakers are primarily known for this reason, well more than for their religious opinions, and the pieces of furniture shakers of time are sold at very high prices.
Sources
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Henri Desroche, American Shakers. Of a Neo-Christianity with a pre-socialism, ED. midnight, 1955,332 p.
External bonds
- history of the Shakers
- Description of emerged communist colonies lately and still existing (1845, Engels; marxists.org)
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