Order of the Golden Age

Order of the Golden Age 1910

Order of the Golden Age was a late 19th and early 20th-century organization based in the United Kingdom, dedicated to the promotion of vegetarianism and animal rights, as well as the broader vision of a utopian society. It was part of a larger cultural and social movement that sought to bring about a new era of peace, health, and spiritual progress, which its members believed could be achieved through a return to a diet free of animal products and a compassionate attitude towards all living beings.

History

The Order of the Golden Age was founded in the late 1890s, at a time when vegetarianism was gaining popularity in the UK and elsewhere as part of a broader critique of industrial society and its impacts on health, animals, and the environment. The organization sought to link vegetarianism with spiritual and ethical development, arguing that abstaining from animal food would not only improve physical health but also elevate moral and spiritual well-being.

Beliefs and Practices

Members of the Order of the Golden Age believed in the imminent arrival of a new era of enlightenment, which they termed the "Golden Age." This era would be characterized by harmony between humans and nature, universal peace, and the absence of suffering and cruelty. Central to achieving this vision was the adoption of a vegetarian diet, which was seen as purer and more in alignment with the natural order and divine will.

The Order also engaged in various forms of activism and outreach, including the publication of literature promoting vegetarianism, the organization of lectures and events, and the establishment of vegetarian restaurants and food products. They sought to appeal to both the scientific and moral arguments for vegetarianism, drawing on emerging nutritional science as well as religious and ethical teachings that emphasized non-violence and compassion.

Impact and Legacy

While the Order of the Golden Age was never a large organization, it played a significant role in the early vegetarian movement and influenced a number of other groups and individuals. Its emphasis on the spiritual and ethical dimensions of vegetarianism contributed to the broader cultural association between vegetarian diets and progressive, humanitarian values.

The organization's vision of a "Golden Age" also reflected wider fin-de-siècle concerns with societal regeneration and the search for alternative spiritualities and lifestyles in the face of industrial modernity's discontents. As such, the Order of the Golden Age can be seen as part of a larger tapestry of utopian and reformist movements that emerged during this period.

See Also

• Vegetarianism
• Animal rights
• Utopian socialism
• History of vegetarianism