This title is printed to order. This book may have been self-published. If so, we cannot guarantee the quality of the content. In the main most books will have gone through the editing process however some may not. We therefore suggest that you be aware of this before ordering this book. If in doubt check either the author or publisher’s details as we are unable to accept any returns unless they are faulty. Please contact us if you have any questions.
First published in 1888, Looking Backward: 2000-1887 is the highly influential work of utopian science fiction by American journalist Edward Bellamy. In the years following the American Civil War a growth in inequality led to an increase in social and economic turmoil. The rise of ever larger and less competitive firms was causing wages to stagnate and created an appetite amongst the populace for solutions to help mitigate the negative effects of an unrestrained and increasingly plutocratic form of capitalism. This appetite gave rise to a popular new literary genre, the utopian socialist novel, of which Looking Backward is arguably one of the most famous examples of. It is the story of young Julian West who is induced by hypnosis into a deep 113 year sleep. When he awakes in the year 2000 he finds that America has been transformed into a socialist utopia. Upon waking West readily encounters Doctor Leete, who explains to him what has transpired since he has slept. Society through a combination of technological advancement and the nationalization of the productive capacity of the United States has become a world in which people work together in mutual cooperation and harmony. Looking Backward was one of the best-selling novels of the 19th century, one which would inspire a large number of people to promote more socialistic public policies. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and includes an introduction by Sylvester Baxter.
