Background
Published in 2002, Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy was originally published in 1888. The novel follows Julian West, a wealthy Bostonian who falls into a hypnotic sleep in 1887 and wakes up in the year 2000 to find a radically transformed society. In this future, the United States has evolved into a socialist utopia where private enterprise has been replaced by a centrally planned economy, and wealth and goods are distributed equally. Through West’s experiences and conversations with his new hosts, Bellamy critiques the social and economic inequalities of the 19th century and presents his vision for a more cooperative and equitable future.
My Thoughts
Honestly, I have no idea why this came up in my reading lists, but it was an interesting read. The fun part was to find the gaping holes in the logic and the rhetoric of this socialist quasi-manifesto. It was particularly interesting to see how the aliments of the late 1800s would be corrected from a naive utopian vision. I wonder how many people read this and honestly thought, “That’s a great idea!”
The economy has no meaning, and everyone eats, wears, and does pretty much the same thing. All are pressed into military service. All enter the workforce at 21 and retire at 45 where they can thereafter live a life of leisure. The US is still at odds with the rest of the world and simply uses a fairly simple IOU system to handle issues or trade imbalance other governments. Women’s roles are unequal at best and mate-selection is used as both a carrot and stick in this ideal world.
Recommendation
This book gives a good account of how a teenager may handle society government. If you enjoy that, this book is for you.