A Modern Utopia
Encyclopedia
A Modern Utopia is a work of fiction by H. G. Wells
.
The work was partly inspired by a trip to the Alps
Wells made with his friend Graham Wallis, a prominent member of the Fabian Society
.
A Modern Utopia was intended as a hybrid between fiction and 'philosophical discussion'.
Wells began by stating that the people of this utopia have to plan "a flexible common compromise, in which a perpetually novel succession of individualities may converge most effectually upon a comprehensive onward development." That is the first, most generalised difference between a Utopia based upon modern conceptions and all the other Utopian stories that were written previously (Wells, Ch. 1).
An important fact about this modern Utopia is that the people's purpose is to be Utopian. Also, the modern Utopia must have people inherently the same as those in the rest of the world.
A few notable aspects of this utopia are:
Modern Utopian People: Chapter 1 (Section 6) The main character meets the first Utopian man and describes what he would look like: not Swiss— but might be on planet Earth. He has maybe just a few differences than a human on Earth: same face but different expressions, and same physique but better developed. He has different habits, knowledge, traditions, clothing, ideas, and different appliances. Besides all that, he would be the same man (Wells, Ch.1).
Economy: Chapter 3 (Section 1): This utopia needs money
to function. The money in this society is gold, a fair-round size. On one side of the coin there is an inscription that declares it one Lion (American influence—one declares). On the other side of the coin there is "a universal goddess of the Utopian coinage -- Peace, as a beautiful woman, reading with a child out of a great book, and behind them are stars, and an hour-glass, halfway run (Wells- ch. 3)." This economy also needs a duodecimal
system of counting.
Gender Roles: Chapter 6 (Section 3): This chapter is titled, "Women in a Modern Utopia." Section 3 makes it clear that women are to be as free as men
in this utopia. "It is a fact that almost every point in which a woman differs from a man is an economic disadvantage to her, her incapacity for great stresses of exertion, her frequent liability to slight illnesses, her weaker initiative, her inferior invention and resourcefulness, her relative incapacity for organization and combination, and the possibilities of emotional complications whenever she is in economic dependence on men (Wells, Ch. 6)." A woman who is already a mother or pregnant, is as much entitled to wages above the minimum wage
, to support, to respect and to freedom. Also, in this utopia, a career of wholesome motherhood would be the normal calling for a woman.
Animal Rights: "In all the round world of Utopia there is no meat. There used to be. But now we cannot stand the thought of slaughterhouses. And, in a population that is all educated, and at about the same level of physical refinement, it is practically impossible to find anyone who will hew a dead ox or pig ... I can still remember as a boy the rejoicings over the closing of the last slaughterhouse."
H. G. Wells
Herbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
.
- H. G. Wells's proposal for social reform was the formation of a world state, a concept that increasingly occupied him throughout the remainder of his life. One of his earliest and most ambitious attempts at portraying a world state was A Modern Utopia (1905) (McLean).
- Like most utopians, he indicated a series of modifications which in his opinion would increase the aggregate of human happiness. Basically, Wells' idea of a perfect world would be if everyone were able to live a happy life.
- This book is written with an intimate knowledge of former ideal commonwealthCommonwealthCommonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
s and is a conscious attempt to describe a utopia that is not utopian. - June Deery refers to A Modern Utopia as a work in progress for two obvious reasons:
- It is about social and technological advance, and
- Wells stresses that he is describing a dynamic utopia. This means that this modern society requires and allows further improvement.
The work was partly inspired by a trip to the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
Wells made with his friend Graham Wallis, a prominent member of the Fabian Society
Fabian Society
The Fabian Society is a British socialist movement, whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist, rather than revolutionary, means. It is best known for its initial ground-breaking work beginning late in the 19th century and continuing up to World...
.
A Modern Utopia was intended as a hybrid between fiction and 'philosophical discussion'.
Wells began by stating that the people of this utopia have to plan "a flexible common compromise, in which a perpetually novel succession of individualities may converge most effectually upon a comprehensive onward development." That is the first, most generalised difference between a Utopia based upon modern conceptions and all the other Utopian stories that were written previously (Wells, Ch. 1).
An important fact about this modern Utopia is that the people's purpose is to be Utopian. Also, the modern Utopia must have people inherently the same as those in the rest of the world.
A few notable aspects of this utopia are:
Modern Utopian People: Chapter 1 (Section 6) The main character meets the first Utopian man and describes what he would look like: not Swiss— but might be on planet Earth. He has maybe just a few differences than a human on Earth: same face but different expressions, and same physique but better developed. He has different habits, knowledge, traditions, clothing, ideas, and different appliances. Besides all that, he would be the same man (Wells, Ch.1).
Economy: Chapter 3 (Section 1): This utopia needs money
Money
Money is any object or record that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services and repayment of debts in a given country or socio-economic context. The main functions of money are distinguished as: a medium of exchange; a unit of account; a store of value; and, occasionally in the past,...
to function. The money in this society is gold, a fair-round size. On one side of the coin there is an inscription that declares it one Lion (American influence—one declares). On the other side of the coin there is "a universal goddess of the Utopian coinage -- Peace, as a beautiful woman, reading with a child out of a great book, and behind them are stars, and an hour-glass, halfway run (Wells- ch. 3)." This economy also needs a duodecimal
Duodecimal
The duodecimal system is a positional notation numeral system using twelve as its base. In this system, the number ten may be written as 'A', 'T' or 'X', and the number eleven as 'B' or 'E'...
system of counting.
Gender Roles: Chapter 6 (Section 3): This chapter is titled, "Women in a Modern Utopia." Section 3 makes it clear that women are to be as free as men
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
in this utopia. "It is a fact that almost every point in which a woman differs from a man is an economic disadvantage to her, her incapacity for great stresses of exertion, her frequent liability to slight illnesses, her weaker initiative, her inferior invention and resourcefulness, her relative incapacity for organization and combination, and the possibilities of emotional complications whenever she is in economic dependence on men (Wells, Ch. 6)." A woman who is already a mother or pregnant, is as much entitled to wages above the minimum wage
Minimum wage
A minimum wage is the lowest hourly, daily or monthly remuneration that employers may legally pay to workers. Equivalently, it is the lowest wage at which workers may sell their labour. Although minimum wage laws are in effect in a great many jurisdictions, there are differences of opinion about...
, to support, to respect and to freedom. Also, in this utopia, a career of wholesome motherhood would be the normal calling for a woman.
Animal Rights: "In all the round world of Utopia there is no meat. There used to be. But now we cannot stand the thought of slaughterhouses. And, in a population that is all educated, and at about the same level of physical refinement, it is practically impossible to find anyone who will hew a dead ox or pig ... I can still remember as a boy the rejoicings over the closing of the last slaughterhouse."