Utopias The idea of a utopia is something that means something different to almost everybody. By definition a utopia means an ideal state, paradise, or a land of enchantment. The idea of a utopia has been a central part of the history of ideas in Western Civilization. Philosophers and writers imagine and conceive plans for an ideal state even today. The fascination with utopia's are most likely the result of new and improved ways of thinking. Many different social problems have plagued society for centuries and have resulted in more logical and optimistic thinking. This kind of thinking led to ideas of how to improve society, and eventually to create a utopia. One reason for the popularity of this idea is the fact that after the Enlightenment, people questioned what their purpose was on Earth and creating a utopia seemed like an achievable goal.
This idea is apparent in several books.
Cover of the Communist Manifesto’s initial publi...
Karl Marx (1818-1883)
English: Charlotte Perkins GilmanIn Voltaire's Candide, he writes of the travels of a young man who is extremely naive and unsuspecting but just so happens to find utopia. "What sort of country is this, said they to one another, a country unknown to the rest of the world, and where the nature is of a kind so different from ours? It is probably the country where all is well; for there absolutely must be one such place." (Voltaire, 42.) That is how Candide described the utopian society known as El Dorado when he had first discovered it accompanied by his friend Cacambo. As Candide continued to stay in El Dorado, he found that things in this perfect society were in fact perfect and everyone was truly happy. Despite the fact that Candide was unable to stay in El Dorado for a long time, he did in fact get to experience what was...