We explain what a utopia is, the origin of the term and various utopias imagined in history. Also, what is a dystopia.
What is a utopia?
Utopia is called an imaginary community that has ideal characteristics and, therefore, it does not exist. Utopias are used as a model to follow for social and political organizations: they are models that function as a horizon for a society.
the word Utopia It appeared for the first time in 1516, in the work Utopiaby Thomas More (1478-1535). That text described a perfect society on a fictional island in America that contrasted with the England of the time.
In general, utopias are used to mark the need for economic and political justice and equality. The method used to achieve this equality varies depending on the ideology to which the utopia ascribes.
However, every utopia runs the risk that its contradictory essence contains: A just and homogeneous society is not compatible with the natural heterogeneity of every human group.
Etymology: The term “utopia” is a word taken from Greek and used by Thomas More for the first time in 1516, who called his work Utopia. It comes from Greek ou (“no”) and moles (“place”), so it means “non-place” or “non-existent place.” Some theories claim that “utopia” comes from eu (“good”) and topos (“place”)that is, “good place.” Most likely, Thomas More wanted to play with both ideas: a “non-place” that is at the same time a “good place.”
See also: Idealism
History
The concept of utopia It was applied to different imaginary cities of Antiquity. The city of Dilmun in Mesopotamian mythology, the island of the Phaeacians described in the Odyssey or the utopian Israel in the book of Ezekiel in the Old Testament are some examples.
In addition to More's utopia, some examples of ideal societies are:
- Republic by Plato (c. 427-347 BC),
- The city of God of Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
- The city of the sun by Tommaso Campanella (1568-1639)
- The New Atlantis by Francis Bacon (1561-1626).
Utopias proliferated during the Renaissance, a time in which they were used to think about the future of real societies
However, Starting in the 19th century, the term “utopian” took on political connotations and it was associated with the thought of socialist movements prior to Marxism. Some thinkers such as Henri de Saint Simon (1760-1825), Charles Fourier (1772-1837) or Robert Owen (1771-1858) designed different procedures that were later understood as “utopian communism”, contrasted with the scientific communism of Friedrich Engels ( 1820-1895) and Karl Marx (1818-1883).
Today the term utopia is used very often to describe the economic, political, social and ecological ambitions that are most difficult to apply in the industrialized capitalist model. The term “techno-utopia” is used to name the belief that technological advances may, one day, lead to an ideal society.
Utopia and dystopia
While utopias foster an ideal society, dystopias are used to imagine a society undesirable in itself. “Dystopia” is a direct antonym of utopia.
Although the term “anti-utopia” already appeared in the work of Thomas More from the 16th century, the creation of “dystopia” is attributed to John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) in his speech to parliament in 1868.
Some famous dystopias appear in literary works:
- A happy world (1932) by Aldus Huxley (1894-1963),
- 1984 (1947) by George Orwell (1903-1950),
- Fahrenheit 451 (1953), by Ray Bradbury (1920-2012).
References
- More, Thomas (1615). Utopia. Translated Don Francisco de Quevedo y Villegas. M. Repulles.
- CELENTANO, Adrián. (2005). Utopia: History, concept and politics. Utopia and Latin American Praxis, 10(31), 93-114
- Neusüss A (1992). “Difficulties of a sociology of utopian thought.” In: Sociology of utopia. Barcelona, Do, 40
