The Quest for Utopia
Essential Question: What is an ideal society?
Utopia DefinitionO Do you agree with
this definition? Why or why not?
O What are the constraints of this definition?
Noun: an ideal community or
society possessing highly desirable or perfect qualities.
Etymology
• Greek ou (not) and rorros (place)
• In English, Utopia is pronounced exactly as Eutopia
• English homophone eutopia
Greek Eu (good or well) and rorros (place)
• The word has a double meaning of “no place” or “good place”
Examples of Literary Utopian Archetypes
O Greek Poet Hesiod (8th Century BC) describes the “Golden Age” of Greek history, so does Hindu and Middle Eastern literature.
O Bible: Garden of Eden
O Chinese writer Tao Yuamning’s fable called The Peach Blossom Spring where people live in ideal harmony with nature unaware of the outside world (421 AD)
O James Hilton in Lost Horizon (1933) describes a fictional utopian monestary high in theTibetan mountains called Shangri-La
Thomas More’s Utopia (1516)
O Word is coined in Greek by More in this work.
O Work of fiction and political philosophy
O Describes the political and economic characteristics of a fictional island set in the New World
O Some think the piece is meant to be a satirical reflection of English society in the 16th century
Dystopia: deconstruction of Utopia
O 19th century British philosopher John Stuart Mill first used the word
O Fictional speculation of future society based on contemporary issues such as environment, politics, the use or abuse of technology, overpopulation, etc.
O Serve as warnings or satires regarding the future in dire situations.
Typical Dystopian characteristics
O A hierarchal society O A nation state that uses propaganda and
rules by fear or manipulation O Absence of a united government O Back story of a natural disaster, war,
revolution or some other climactic event. O Dehumanization of society. O A protagonist who questions society. O Often features more advanced, futuristic
technology.
Popular Dystopian Novels
Dystopian archetypal literature
O George Orwell’s 1984 O Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World O Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451 O Lois Lowry’s The Giver O Suzanne Collin’s The Hunger Games O James Dashner’s The Maze Runner O Veronica Roth’s Divergent O Marie Liu’s LegendO Cormac McCarthy’s The Road
Supporting Questions
O Is Utopia attainable? At What cost?
O What drives us to seek a Utopian society?
O How has the concept of “Utopia”
changed over time and across cultures/societies?
O Why do dystopian societies emerge?
Political systems
O Many political and economic systems have developed in areas of the
world depending on the needs of people as well
as on economic resources available.
O Democracy O Theocracy O Republic O Aristocracy O Monarchy O Capitalism O Socialism O Communism O Feudalism
Economy: Who/what controls products, goods, and services?
Capitalism: Russia
Socialism: Norway
Communism: Cuba
In a capitalist or free-market
economy, people own their own businesses & property and
must buy services for private use,
such as healthcare.
Socialist governments own
many of the larger industries
and provide education, health & welfare services
while allowing citizens some
economic choices.
In a communist country, the
government owns all businesses &
farms and provides its
people's healthcare, education &
welfare.
How is a government run?Dictatorship: Iraq
Totalitarian: China
Theocracy: Iran
Rule by a single unelected leader who may use force to keep control. In a military dictatorship, the army is in control. Usually, there is little or no attention to public opinion or individual rights.
Rule by a single political party. People forced to do what government tells them and may be prevented from leaving the country.
A form of government where rulers claim to be ruling on behalf of a set of religious ideas or as direct agents of a deity.
Monarchy:Jordan
Parliament:Israel
Republic: United States
Anarchy: Afghanistan
A monarchy has a king or queen who sometimes has absolute power. Power is passed through the family.
A parliamentary government is led by representatives of the people. Each is chosen as a member of a political party & remains in power as long as the party does.
A republic is led by representatives of the voters. Each is individually chosen for a set period of time.
Anarchy is a situation where there is no government. This can happen after a civil war in a country, when a government was destroyed & rival groups fight to take its place.
Authority Revolutionary Oligarchy Totalitarian Democracy
The existing government is overthrown by a completely new group. After a period of time, the revolutionary government evolves into one of the other types of government (unless there is another coup or uprising).
A form of government which consists of rule by an elite group who rule in their own interests, especially the accumulation of wealth & privilege. Only certain members of society have a valid voice in the government. This can reflect (but is not limited to) economic interests (plutocracy), a particular religion (theocracy) or familial rule (monarchy).
Totalitarian governments are ruled by a single political party. Votes for alternative candidates & parties are simply not allowed. Citizens are expected to vote, but only for the government's chosen candidates.
In a democracy, the government is elected by the people. Everyone who is eligible to vote - which is a majority of the population - has a chance to have their say in who runs the country
System Definition
Monarchy A political system in which the government is under the control of one powerful leader
Oligarchy A political system in which the government is under the control of the merchant class.
Theocracy A political system in which the government is under control a religious organization or its officials
Aristocracy A political system in which the government is under the control of wealthy landowners.
Democracy A political system in which the government is under the control of the citizens themselves or elected representatives chosen from eligible citizens.
River Valley Civilizations
Mesopotamia
Egypt
Political System
Hereditary Monarchy
Divine Monarchy
Monarchy: The government is under the control of one powerful leader.
In Sumner and Babylon, the monarch was also the high priest
who had to satisfy the Gods. In Egypt, the monarch (pharaoh) was the physical
reincarnation of the god Horus. Both civilizations blend religion and politics to govern.
Kingship in the ancient world O Chinese
emperors justified their actions by claiming the Mandate of Heaven or divine right to rule.
O Strong leaders would maintain the favor of heaven while weak leaders would eventually lose power: the Dynastic Cycle.
Feudalism: 6th century
O Western Europe is left without a strong centralized government following the breakdown of the Roman Empire.
O Strong local lords created allegiances and safety in return for loyalty and military support.
Comparison of Feudalism in Europe and Japan
Europe Japan
Nobility King, lord, lesser lord Emperor, shogun, daimyo
Warriors Knights Samurai
Code of Conduct
Chivalry Bushido
Evolution • Both developed in response to the need of security and safety
• Everyone had well-defined social roles • Helped preserve law and order
O Kings/Queens have complete control over the government (Divine Right).
O Widespread political system in Europe and parts of Asia starting in the 16th century.
Nation Rulers
Spain Charles V Phillip II
Constant warfare
France Louis XIV “The Sun King”
Absolute power for 72 years
Russia Peter the Great Catherine the Great
Used autocratic methods to modernize Russia and compete with Europe.
England James I Charles I
Clashed with parliament. Charles is executed and after a revolution; England becomes a constitutional monarchy.
Absolutism
Enlightenment: (18th century) explain the purpose of
government and its best form.
Enlightenment Thinkers Hobbes Locke Voltaire Montesquieu Rousseau
View on Rights
Protected only through social contract
Humans all have natural rights to: life, liberty and property.
Advocated freedom of speech.
Social contract. Rule by the majority
Views on Government
Protected people from others’ cruelty
To protect natural rights
Advocated religious toleration
Separation of powers to prevent tyranny
People give up freedoms for government protection
Effects of the Enlightenment
Creates discussions about what type of government is
best and under what circumstances. Stimulates concepts
of individualism
Revolutions
Glorious Revolution in Britain
American Revolution
French Revolution
Latin American Revolutions
Democracy
Greece Male Citizens only
Ancient Rome Officials chosen from eligible citizens
Roman Republic Senate: elected for life and were land-owning aristocrats
Magna Carta 1215 Nobility force King John to recognize their rights as land-owning citizens of England
English Bill of Rights 1688
Ensured the Supremacy of Parliament
Declaration of Independence 1776
Colonies declare their right to independent rule.
Socialism and Communism
O 1848: Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles write The Communist Manifesto
O History is a struggle between the “haves” and “have-nots”
O Capitalism should be abolished because it takes advantage of the working class
O Working class would overthrow capitalist systems
O Governments would create a classless society in which all wealth and power would be shared equally among the people.
Russian Revolution
O 1917 Vladimir Lenin and Leon Trotsky lead a group of socialist revolutionaries called the Bolsheviks against Czar Nicholas II.
O Lenin promises the people peace, land, and bread, but creates a one-party government: the Community Party with ultimate power.
O Josef Stalin turns Russia into a totalitarian state where every aspect of the people’s lives is controlled by the government.
