- Capitalism and Alternatives -

Looking Backward, apt title

In Reply to: Books and News posted by Lark on February 21, 19100 at 11:59:59:

: I got a copy of Edward Bellamy's 'Looking Backward' Unabridged for just £1.90 (that's $2.00 in the US and $3.00 in Canada), it's a socialist master peace in my view (although the Marxist William Morris wasn't keen on it and wrote 'News from nowhere' in reaction, which did contain a number of legitimate contrasts against Bellamy's vision, such as, the decision making processes and the legitimate role of a socialist executive authority but by and large it's a matter of disagreement rather than irreconcilable clash of ideology) because it addresses inequity etc. in common sense terms without reference to heavy ideological dogmatism which has served to marginalise socialist politics to the extent that it appears like a fringe cult of some variety.

You JUST read Looking Backward?

Funny---in this post, you claimed to have ALREADY read it and went so far as to pan it, contemptuously calling it 'the dream of the industrious middle class professional.'

Which is accurate.

Note how the time traveler West gets offered a nice, cozy sinecure as a 'historian.' No menial, physical work for him! None whatsoever! Indeed, this particular 'socialism' has all the staus-quo, educated, white-collar trappings the middle class lives for---and why not? Bellemy's 'socialist' utopia was intended to PACIFY middle class fears of socialism.

Did the trick for you---eh?

Follow Ups:

• You dont understand the title then. Lark February 24 19100 (0)