Actually, Victor Considerant, who visited the area in 1853 and organized the
colony, made the Texas socialists' far-reaching intentions quite clear: "I
not only say to you, 'Let us enrich ourselves and live happily and free in
Texas,' but let us progress with humanity and establish a land of freedom
and plenty for our descendants."
In Dallas, where actual history is guarded, the story goes that these quaint Europeans with their wooden shoes and funny ideas were soon taught by the rough Texas reality that socialism won't work. Nevertheless, their contribution to the culture of little Dallas, where most of them went when the colony broke up, is spoken of proudly. They may have been lousy farmers, the story goes, but they brought the first piano into Dallas.
Many high-minded Europeans, especially Germans, left war-ravaged Europe and established socialist communities in Texas during the same period that others formed organizations to resist capitalism. The Communist Manifesto was published while progressives were planning new homes in Texas. Names of colonies like Sisterdale, Comfort, and La Reunion persist in Texas history and culture. What doesn't get mentioned much is that the colonies all ended, almost simultaneously, in 1860, when the Confederate government took over. One of the "quaint ideas" that those brave pioneers shared was an aversion to slavery. Their anti-racism got a number of them killed, and none of the socialist colonies of Texas survived the Civil War.
One of the charming East Dallas homes on Swiss Avenue today
For further study of the significant contributions of socialists to Texas:
http://www.labordallas.org/hist/reds.htm