Author |
Bellamy, Edward, 1850-1898 |
Title |
Equality
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Note |
Sequel to "Looking Backward."
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Note |
Reading ease score: 51.1 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read.
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Credits |
Produced by Thomas Berger, Eric Eldred, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
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Summary |
"EQUALITY" by Edward Bellamy is a novel written during the late 19th century that explores themes of social justice and economic equality through a futuristic lens. The narrative follows Julian West, a wealthy young man from the year 1887 who, after a bizarre incident of sleeping through 113 years of history in a hidden chamber, awakens in a transformed world of 2000 where economic disparities have been eradicated. This new society is built on principles of cooperation and national service, replacing the previous capitalist system with one of public ownership and economic equality. At the start of the novel, we see Julian's confusion and awe as he learns about the societal changes that occurred during his long slumber. Introduced to Dr. Leete and his daughter Edith, Julian navigates the complexities of this new world where prosperity and welfare are no longer privileges of the few but shared directly among all citizens. In a series of enlightening conversations, he initially struggles with the idea of an equal happy society, contrasting it starkly with the harsh realities of his own time filled with extreme wealth disparity and the oppression of the working class. As the narrative unfolds, Julian's adaptation to his newfound reality reveals profound critiques of the socioeconomic structures of the 19th century, making this opening a compelling reflection on the potential for a more equitable society. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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Language |
English |
LoC Class |
HX: Social sciences: Socialism, Communism, Anarchism
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LoC Class |
PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature
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Subject |
Science fiction
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Subject |
Utopias -- Fiction
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Subject |
Political fiction
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Subject |
Utopian fiction
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Subject |
Socialism -- Fiction
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Category |
Text |
EBook-No. |
7303 |
Release Date |
Jan 1, 2005 |
Most Recently Updated |
Feb 7, 2015 |
Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
Downloads |
139 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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