Inside Europe 23 October 2025

Edward Bellamy's 'Looking Backward' is a utopian novel set in the year 2000, depicting a future Boston transformed by a socialist revolution. The protagonist, Julian West, falls into a deep sleep and awakens to find a society free of poverty, crime, and class divisions. In this new world, the economy is centrally planned, and citizens work in an 'industrial army' until the age of 45, enjoying equal access to resources and opportunities. Bellamy's vision includes advancements in technology, culture, and social organization, promoting a sense of unity and common purpose. The novel sparked a wave of utopian thinking and inspired the formation of Nationalist Clubs dedicated to realizing Bellamy's ideals.

Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism. The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative. He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination. The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.