Utopian literature was highly popular from the 16th to the 19th century, a period in which many utopian works were published. After the Industrial Revolution the faith in a bright future of peace and abundance that would be brought by scientific progress was so strong that utopian literature almost disappears, to be replaced by actual political projects and theories, as utopia seemed at last to be reachable. It's in this period that dystopian literature is born, as a reaction to the doubts and fears of those who were convinced that the utopias, once realized, would end up being nightmares and leading mankind to self-destruction. | Utopian literature was highly popular from the 16th to the 19th century, a period in which many utopian works were published. After the Industrial Revolution the faith in a bright future of peace and abundance that would be brought by scientific progress was so strong that utopian literature almost disappears, to be replaced by actual political projects and theories, as utopia seemed at last to be reachable. It's in this period that dystopian literature is born, as a reaction to the doubts and fears of those who were convinced that the utopias, once realized, would end up being nightmares and leading mankind to self-destruction. |