POS 211 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Imaginary Voyage, Scientific Socialism, Class Conflict
16 May 2019
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Utopia: any visionary system embodying perfect political and social order. The study of utopia raises questions about the limits of politics, about the very possibility of rising above politics. Plato"s republic" is a literary record of discussions between plato and socrates on issues related to justice and politics: the perfect polity: The new atlantis" describes the imaginary voyage to the island of bensalem: christian society; emphasizes religious freedom, progressive society; applies the rules of science to benefit society as a whole. Bacon"s ideal society was based on science, rather than on religion or superstition. Scientific socialism: class struggle is the means to a classless society. The centrality of economics: theory sparked by harsh working conditions and widespread suffering associated with capitalism. The road to paradise: dictatorship of the proletariat. The classless society: withering away of the state. Basic ingredients of the good life: good health, minimum of unpleasant labor, ability to exercise talents, true leisure.
