ipl-logo

Summary Of Edward Bellamy's Looking Backward

1043 Words5 Pages

Imagine living in a place where everyone is equal. Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy narrates a story about a man, Julian West, who lives in Boston during the 19th century where there is hardship, labor unrest, and a large gap between the rich and the poor. During the 19th century “many of the wealthiest Americans consciously pursued an aristocratic lifestyle, building palatial homes, attending exclusive social clubs, schools, and colleges, and focused on spending money not on the needed or even desired goods, but simply to demonstrate the possession of wealth” (Foner, 602). Julian West who is engaged to Edith Bartlett, an aristocrat, they were waiting to get married when their new house was finished, however; Julian West had serious insomnia …show more content…

His futuristic ideal society would have solved many faults of 19th century. Bellamy’s idea of an ideal society is more socialistic than capitalistic. I believe that Bellamy’s vision of the future was popular because the majority of the population viewed it as something different. A new system that would’ve been more equal and fair. The increase in industrial production exponential increased America’s wealth and power, however; it also experienced a large class division where the rich were very rich and the poor were very poor (Foner, 593-594). This was mainly due to the capitalistic government where the economy was based on private owned industries. Bellamy’s idea of a more socialistic economy was favored more by the lower-class as it would have allowed the government to better allocate wealth which may close the gap between the upper-class and lower-class citizens. In Bellamy’s novel Dr. Leete, explains that everyone gets the same opportunity, same wages, and same education. The government distributes everything so that the citizens all get equal chances. The only difference between citizens is what he or she chooses to do with their resources (Bellamy). Everything is available for them to use, buy, and experience. Being able to have option I think made a big difference in peoples vision, during the 19th century. The lower class didn’t

Show More
Related
607 Words | 3 Pages

During the late 1800’s and the early 1900’s an economic and industrialized revolution took place in America. As important natural and manmade resources such as Iron, coal, and lumber had just become easily accessible. Which for most meant an improvement on their living conditions, but for the poverty it meant sustaining their life was going to get harder. The wealthy became wealthier and the poor became the mule of labor. “Those who are above the point of separation are elevated, but those who are below are crushed down,” (Doc 3).

Read More
763 Words | 4 Pages

Looking Backward was a revolutionary novel for its time, and became Edward Bellamy’s most famous work. The entire premise of the book was to promote the benefits of socioeconomic reform in the United States. Bellamy argues that our current system of competition is wasteful of valuable resources. Instead, Bellamy suggests an economic system where the State owns and distributed all income and assets in the country. This idea of cooperation over competition is seen as superior and more efficient.

Read More
1291 Words | 6 Pages

Many Americans wonder why once-boomtowns like Chicago and Detroit have deteriorated into little more than ghetto villages surrounded by skyscrapers. The answer may be found in patterns from mid-20th-century urban segregation. Starting around the turn of the 1950’s, segregation laws intensified between whites and blacks, as portrayed in Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun, named after the final line in one of Langston Hughes’ most famous poems. This created an idea of “white flight,” as white, middle-class citizens left urban areas out of fear that the presence of minorities would devalue their neighborhood land. In Hansberry’s story, the black, lower-class Younger family compares to the pattern of white flight observed in the mid-20th century by illustrating the xenophobia of whites, the occasional sleaziness of realtors, and the boldness of the minority groups during this period.

Read More
142 Words | 1 Pages

This simply meant the rich kept getting rich while the poor stayed poor (Hodgson 100-101). In addition, with technology advancement the need for experienced professionals increased. The type

Read More
682 Words | 3 Pages

At the end of the 18th century, a new aged had arrived, known as the Gilded Age, it is where the economic, social, and political atmosphere was heavily influenced by industrialization. Before the Gilded Age, United States was still expanding their territories, Southerners were still living in small farms, while England and other European countries were more advanced in industrialization. Then 30 years later, after the Civil War, America was one of the countries in the world to lead in industrial power. The dramatic development, changed everyone’s life, people that used to live in farms moved to the urban cities in search of new opportunities, wave of inventions such as the telephone was made, and industries boomed. Industries affected the economic, social, and political atmosphere, affluent industries was manipulating iron, oil, railroads and even the workers; which increased the gap between the wealthy and the poor.

Read More
976 Words | 4 Pages

Bellamy’s Nationalist America in Looking Backward 2000-1887 shows an America without poverty. There were not masses of sick people without insurance, or twenty-five year olds drowning under crushing piles of student debt. There was absolute freedom from the constraints that money binds most people. The high cost for this system was the personal freedom to do as one wanted with his own life. Perhaps the most important freedom given up was the ability to do as one chose with the years of his life.

Read More
355 Words | 2 Pages

The Gilded Age was an age of rapid economic growth. Railroads, factories, and mines were slowly popping up across the country, creating a variety of new opportunities for entrepreneurs and laborers alike. These new inventions and opportunities created “...an unprecedented accumulation of wealth” (GML, 601). But the transition of America from a small farming based nation to a powerful industrial one created a huge rift between social classes. Most people were either filthy rich or dirt poor, with workers being the latter.

Read More
1112 Words | 5 Pages

Throughout history there has been many societies that have risen successful, but where there have been success, there is always conflict and problems lurking in the shadows. Some are solved by high authority, but when all else fails the people rise up and form reform movements. A reform movement is a kind of social movement that aims to make a gradual change, or change in certain aspects of society, rather than rapid or fundamental changes. Countless times the United States has experienced a vast history of reforms. In fact, reforms are a key characteristic, which allows the continued success of democracy.

Read More
254 Words | 2 Pages

This would make them become significantly wealthier than anyone. This meant that power and wealth was concentrated in the hands of a small number of people. This made a huge divide between the rich and poor. Although the divide between the rich and poor was significant,

Read More
1167 Words | 5 Pages

The time before the progressive era was time of innovation and advancements. However, it was also a time of destruction, degradation and disturbance. Industry boomed and health diminished because of cheap choices. The population soared and people were underrepresented.

Read More
1124 Words | 5 Pages

Throughout human history, children were thought of as servants, apprentices, or a means to ease workload. Children would work on the family farm or a family business. They could be easily taken advantage of compared to adults. The exploitation of children for labor without concern for their education or welfare was common and even the norm. No special concern about children existed.

Read More
775 Words | 4 Pages

During the time of the Progressive Era in 1900s-1920s, the majority of the American believed that the industrialization, immigration, and the urbanization had produced critical social disorders and believes that reforms were needed to reshaped America. They also believed that it was time to eliminate the problem caused by the corruption in the government and promote the improvement in order to address the social and economic problems. People like Theodore Roosevelt and W.E.B.Du Bois also accepted that change was needed to improve and grow. The major changes were made in social, economic and political reforms. But, was the Progressive Era a success?

Read More
1577 Words | 7 Pages

Here are four reasons why. Initially, wealth concentration and inequality were severe problems and are still now. Back then in 1870-1900, it was a period of wealth concentrated by many “Captains of Industry”. Social Darwinism were used to justify the extremes of wealth, meaning that only the economically fittest could survive and thrive.

Read More
555 Words | 3 Pages

Today in the US, everyone has the right to be educated regardless of their social class. Even the lower classes can get an education, whereas in the Middle Ages, the peasants were not allowed to be

Read More
2097 Words | 9 Pages

For example in the book, *The Great Gatsby, by *Scott Fitzgerald, depicts how these inequalities happen through its main character Gatsby. Throughout the 1920's people focused on getting rich instead of striving for equality as shown in The Great Gatsby, by Scott Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald shows that people are yet not treated fairly and that social discrimination still exists. For example, in Chapter 2, Tom goes to see Wilson, a poor mechanic worker. He tells him he is going to sell him his old car, but his purpose is to distract Wilson so he can have an affair with his(wilson's) wife, Myrtle.

Read More

More about Summary Of Edward Bellamy's Looking Backward

Related Topics

Open Document