How did Robert Owen believe human character was formed?

Robert Owen, a prominent British social reformer, posited that human character is fundamentally formed by circumstances beyond an individual's personal control. Because he believed individuals were products of their environment, he argued that people should not be subject to praise or blame for their character.1

This core conviction, detailed in his work A New View of Society; or, Essays on the Principle of the Formation of the Human Character, led Owen to conclude that the key to shaping human character correctly was to expose individuals to positive, proper influences from their earliest years. This philosophy became the foundation for his systems of education and social reform, which he implemented at New Lanark and later proposed for society at large through cooperative communities.1