Changes

'''Utopia''' is a fictional society considered perfect by its proponent, but whose implementation in reality is unrealistic. The term, [[Greek]] in origin, was first used by [[Thomas More]], for his 1516 eponymous book, which describes a fictional state whose laws and organization are purportedly ideal. However, More's intent was, at least in part, ironical, as some ambiguities in the text clearly show: the word "utopia" can mean both "good place" or "place that doesn't exist", and the narrator's last name, Hythlodaeus, literally means "purveyor of nonsense".

'''Utopia''' is a fictional society considered perfect by its proponent, but whose implementation in reality is unrealistic. The term, [[Greek]] in origin, was first used by [[Thomas More]], for his 1516 eponymous book, which describes a fictional state whose laws and organization are purportedly ideal. However, More's intent was, at least in part, ironical, as some ambiguities in the text clearly show: the word "utopia" can mean both "good place" or "place that doesn't exist", and the narrator's last name, Hythlodaeus, literally means "purveyor of nonsense".

Utopian literature was, however, not created by More; it comes from the fusion of several archetypes, which can be found in [[classical]] [[literature]] and [[mythology]], [[religion]], and [[philosophy]]. The most important influences were the Greek accounts of voyages in faraway, fantastic lands (such as Hyperborea or Thule), the narration of a fall from a privileged and carefree condition in religion and mythology (such as [[Hesiod]]'s Golden Age, or the ''Genesis''' Fall from [[Eden]]), and philosophical inquiries about the nature of the perfect state, of which the most influential was undoubtedly [[Plato]]'s ''Republic''. More and Plato disagree on what makes a perfect society: for example, while both societies are socialist, Plato advocates the communion of women and families, whereas More, a Christian, could not agree with that. This shows that utopias are, by their own nature, subjective and arbitrary, as different individuals will have different ideas on what constitutes a "good" society. A utopia, seen from a different point of view, can become a [[dystopia]], that is, the description of a society which claims to be ideal but which ends up being a nightmare.

Utopian literature was, however, not created by More; it comes from the fusion of several archetypes, which can be found in [[classical]] [[literature]] and [[mythology]], [[religion]], and [[philosophy]]. The most important influences were the Greek accounts of voyages in faraway, fantastic lands (such as Hyperborea or Thule), the narration of a fall from a privileged and carefree condition in religion and mythology (such as [[Hesiod]]'s Golden Age, or the ''Genesis''' Fall from [[Eden]]), and philosophical inquiries about the nature of the perfect state, of which the most influential was undoubtedly [[Plato]]'s ''Republic''. More and Plato disagree on what makes a perfect society: for example, while both societies are socialist, Plato advocates the communion of women and families, whereas More, a Christian, could not agree with that. This shows that utopias are, by their own nature, subjective and arbitrary, as different individuals will have different ideas on what constitutes a "good" society. A utopia, seen from a different point of view, can become a [[dystopia]], that is, the description of a society which claims to be ideal but which ends up being a nightmare.

[[H.G. Wells]]'s ''A Modern Utopia'' (1905)

[[H.G. Wells]]'s ''A Modern Utopia'' (1905)

[[Edward House]]'s ''Philip Dru: Administrator'' (1912)

[[Edward House]]'s ''Philip Dru: Administrator'' (1912)<ref>{{cite web|title=Progressivism's Revenge|url=http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2013/03/progressivisms_revenge.html|publisher=American Thinker| quote=House's book is "utopian" in the sense that he is fantasizing about being given the authority to achieve, in one fell swoop, the agenda wished and fought for by the progressives of his time, as of ours. }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Paul |first1=Ellen Frankel |year=2012 |title=Natural Rights Individualism and Progressivism in American Political Philosophy: Volume 29, Part 2 |publisher= Cambridge University Press |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D1eW13VSpu4C&pg=PA277 }}</ref> - an important archetype of the early "progressives" goals.

 

 

== See Also ==

== See Also ==