You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
scrooge3 's review for:
Looking Backward: 2000-1887
by Edward Bellamy
Julian West, a well-to-do man of 30 years, falls asleep in May 1887, only to awaken in December 2000, on the cusp of the 21st Century (the book rightly places the year 2000 in the 20th Century). West is found and revived by Dr. Leete. This sets up a prolonged dialog between the two as Dr. Leete explains how the socialist utopia of his time came to be and how it works. The dialog really is an excuse for long monologs by the author through the mouthpiece of Dr. Leete as to why socialism is so much better than the miserable conditions of his own time.
Almost every conceivable political and social facet of the socialist utopia is discussed, from how goods are manufactured and distributed, to how courts work, to schools, and much more. The government owns all businesses, and workers are assigned jobs when they turn 21. They work until they are 45, move into semi-retirement (i.e., on call if needed), and full retirement at 55 when they are able and encouraged to explore their interests to the fullest. Everyone receives the same “salary” (money has been abolished); less desirable jobs made more enticing by shorter working hours.
The book fails to mention much of anything about technological changes or other aspects of 20th Century life such as fashion, entertainment, or dining. There is a brief mention of how music is transmitted remotely into homes using telephonic equipment, and how the music can be synced automatically with a clock to wake one up in the morning.
There is an interchange from the book I found most interesting:
"In my day," [West] replied, "it was considered that the proper functions of government, strictly speaking, were limited to keeping the peace and defending the people against the public enemy, that is, to the military and police powers."
"And, in heaven's name, who are the public enemies?" exclaimed Dr. Leete. "Are they France, England, Germany, or hunger, cold, and nakedness? In your day governments were accustomed, on the slightest international misunderstanding, to seize upon the bodies of citizens and deliver them over by hundreds of thousands to death and mutilation, wasting their treasures the while like water; and all this oftenest for no imaginable profit to the victims. We have no wars now, and our governments no war powers, but in order to protect every citizen against hunger, cold, and nakedness, and provide for all his physical and mental needs, the function is assumed of directing his industry for a term of years. No, Mr. West, I am sure on reflection you will perceive that it was in your age, not in ours, that the extension of the functions of governments was extraordinary. Not even for the best ends would men now allow their governments such powers as were then used for the most maleficent."
I think this is an excellent argument of why things like welfare, health care, and some other government functions are worthwhile.
As to some of the other sentiments expressed in the book, I think that the author was a bit too optimistic about human nature. His socialist utopia might look good on paper, but the frailties of man would block its reality, at least in any foreseeable future.
As a primer on socialism, Looking Backward is probably more understandable than an academic paper. As a novel, though, it is mostly a tough slog.
Almost every conceivable political and social facet of the socialist utopia is discussed, from how goods are manufactured and distributed, to how courts work, to schools, and much more. The government owns all businesses, and workers are assigned jobs when they turn 21. They work until they are 45, move into semi-retirement (i.e., on call if needed), and full retirement at 55 when they are able and encouraged to explore their interests to the fullest. Everyone receives the same “salary” (money has been abolished); less desirable jobs made more enticing by shorter working hours.
The book fails to mention much of anything about technological changes or other aspects of 20th Century life such as fashion, entertainment, or dining. There is a brief mention of how music is transmitted remotely into homes using telephonic equipment, and how the music can be synced automatically with a clock to wake one up in the morning.
There is an interchange from the book I found most interesting:
"In my day," [West] replied, "it was considered that the proper functions of government, strictly speaking, were limited to keeping the peace and defending the people against the public enemy, that is, to the military and police powers."
"And, in heaven's name, who are the public enemies?" exclaimed Dr. Leete. "Are they France, England, Germany, or hunger, cold, and nakedness? In your day governments were accustomed, on the slightest international misunderstanding, to seize upon the bodies of citizens and deliver them over by hundreds of thousands to death and mutilation, wasting their treasures the while like water; and all this oftenest for no imaginable profit to the victims. We have no wars now, and our governments no war powers, but in order to protect every citizen against hunger, cold, and nakedness, and provide for all his physical and mental needs, the function is assumed of directing his industry for a term of years. No, Mr. West, I am sure on reflection you will perceive that it was in your age, not in ours, that the extension of the functions of governments was extraordinary. Not even for the best ends would men now allow their governments such powers as were then used for the most maleficent."
I think this is an excellent argument of why things like welfare, health care, and some other government functions are worthwhile.
As to some of the other sentiments expressed in the book, I think that the author was a bit too optimistic about human nature. His socialist utopia might look good on paper, but the frailties of man would block its reality, at least in any foreseeable future.
As a primer on socialism, Looking Backward is probably more understandable than an academic paper. As a novel, though, it is mostly a tough slog.