Utopia

Utopia, in its most common and general positive meaning, refers to the human efforts to create a better society, a perfect society that does not exist (yet).

Types of utopia

Economic utopia

Particularly in the early nineteenth century, several utopian ideas arose, often in response to the social disruption created by the development of commercialism and capitalism. These are often grouped in a greater "utopian socialist" movement, due to their shared characteristics: an egalitarian distribution of goods, frequently with the total abolition of money, and citizens only doing work which they enjoy and which is for the common good, leaving them with ample time for the cultivation of the arts and sciences. One classic example of such an utopia was Edward Bellamy's Looking Backward. Another socialist utopia is William Morris' News from Nowhere, written partially in response to the top-down (bureaucratic) nature of Bellamy's utopia, which Morris criticized. However, as time passed and the socialist movement matured, utopianism was discarded. Socialists grounded their ideas firmly in what they saw as the realities of the age; among the different emerging socialist currents, Marxism became by far the harshest critic of utopian socialism. (for more information see the History of Socialism article)

Related Topics:
Commercialism - Capitalism - Utopian socialist - Egalitarian - Money - Work - Common good - Edward Bellamy - Looking Backward - William Morris - News from Nowhere - Bureaucratic - Marxism - History of Socialism

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Utopias have also been imagined by the opposite side of the political spectrum. For example, Robert Heinlein's The Moon is a Harsh Mistress is an individualistic and libertarian utopia. Capitalist utopias of this sort are generally based on perfect market economies, in which there is no market failure—or the issue is never addressed.

Related Topics:
Robert Heinlein - The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - Individualistic - Libertarian - Perfect market - Market failure

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Political and historical utopia

A global utopia of world peace is often seen as one of the possible inevitable endings of history.

Related Topics:
World peace - Endings of history

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Sparta was a militaristic utopia founded by Lycurgus (though some, especially Athenians, may have thought it was rather a dystopia). It was a Greek power until its defeat by the Thebans at the battle of Leuctra.

Related Topics:
Sparta - Militaristic - Lycurgus - Athenians - Dystopia - Power - Thebans - Battle of Leuctra

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Religious utopia

The Christian and Islamic ideas of the Garden of Eden and Heaven tend to be a form of utopianism, especially in their folk-religious forms: inviting speculation about existence free of sin and poverty or any sorrow, beyond the power of death (although "heaven" in Christian eschatology at least, is more nearly equivalent to life within God Himself, visualized as an earth-like paradise in the sky). In a similar sense, the Buddhist concept of Nirvana may be thought of as a kind of utopia. Religious utopias, perhaps expansively described as a garden of delights, existence free of worry amid streets paved with gold, in a bliss of enlightenment enjoying nearly godlike powers, are often a reason for perceiving benefit in remaining faithful to a religion, and an incentive for converting new members.

Related Topics:
Christian - Islamic - Garden of Eden - Heaven - Utopianism - Folk-religious forms - Christian eschatology - Buddhist - Nirvana - Religious - Converting

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In the United States during the Second Great Awakening of the nineteenth century, many radical religious groups formed utopian societies. They sought to form communities where all aspects of people's lives could be governed by their faith. Among the best-known of these utopian societies was the Shaker movement. The largest such movement was The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' settlement in Utah after 1846 (See Mormon Pioneer).

Related Topics:
United States - Second Great Awakening - Shaker - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Utah - 1846 - Mormon Pioneer

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See also: End of the world, Eschatology, Millennialism, Utopianism

Related Topics:
End of the world - Eschatology - Millennialism - Utopianism

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Scientific and technological utopia

These are set in the future, when it is believed that advanced science and technology will allow utopian living standards; for example, the absence of death and suffering; changes in human nature and the human condition. In place of the static perfection of a utopia, libertarian transhumanists envision an "extropia", an open, evolving society allowing individuals and voluntary groupings to form the institutions and social forms they prefer.

Related Topics:
Science - Technology - Death - Suffering - Human nature - Human condition - Extropia

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One notable example of a technological and libertarian socialist utopia is Scottish author Iain M. Bank's Culture.

Related Topics:
Libertarian socialist - Iain M. Bank's - Culture

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See also: hedonistic imperative, transhumanism, technological singularity, abolitionist society

Related Topics:
Hedonistic imperative - Transhumanism - Technological singularity - Abolitionist society

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Opposing this optimism is the prediction that advanced science and technology will, through deliberate misuse or accident, cause humanity's extinction. These pessimists advocate precautions over embracement of new technology.

Related Topics:
Optimism - Extinction - Pessimists - Precautions

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