Utopia Ltd., a poster by Dietmar R. Winkler. Source: Library of Congress

A Whole New World

A History of Utopias

11.17.16

In his recent book “Utopia for Realists,” Rutger Bregman advocates a 15-hour workweek, universal basic income, and open borders. Sounds like paradise to us! From the Oneida Community’s dream of open or “complex marriage” to the rise and spectacular fall of Pullman’s model company town, the hosts look at why the idea of “utopianism” has such strong appeal to Americans.

community; utopianism

Open Episode Transcript as PDF

Segments

Welcome To Herland

In 1915, Herland, a utopian novel written by feminist author Charlotte Perkins Gilman, portrayed a country populated exclusively by women. But Mary Baldwin College professor Kristen Egan says Herland’s orderly and peaceful exterior hid a dark interior fueled by eugenics theories.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman; eugenics; feminism; literature; utopianism

00:00:00 / 00:00:00

Utopias ‘R Us

The hosts talk about how the 19th century in particular saw such an explosion of utopian communities.

community; self-governance; utopianism

00:00:00 / 00:00:00

When We Say “Share Everything,” We Mean Everything

You may know the brand name Oneida, which makes flatware and other kitchen items. But less well known is the fact that the corporation grew out of a radical religious commune in the 19th century known as the Oneida Community. Historian Molly Jessup talks to the hosts about the the Oneida Community’s controversial practice of “Bible communism.”

Oneida Community; religion; sex; utopianism

00:00:00 / 00:00:00

The Most Perfect Town In The World

In 1880, railroad industrialist George Pullman built a picturesque little town for his workers outside of Chicago, with tree lined streets and neat rowhouses. A London newspaper called it “the most perfect town in the world.” Chicago-based radio producer Jake Smith tells the story of the rise and dramatic fall of the capitalist utopia known as Pullman, Illinois.

Pullman Illinois; labor strikes; oppression; utopianism

00:00:00 / 00:00:00

The Challenges Of Being Equal

While most utopian communities fail, what about the utopias that have worked? The hosts talked to Keenan Dakota, a resident of an intentional community in central Virginia called Twin Oaks that’s existed for nearly 50 years.

collectivism; communal living; community; equality; utopianism

00:00:00 / 00:00:00

Soul City

In the 1960s, a charismatic civil rights activist turned businessman named Floyd McKissick successfully sold President Richard Nixon on an idea of a black built, black-owned community in rural North Carolina. McKissick named it Soul City. Historian Christopher Strain tells how, despite having Nixon as an ally, most of the grand plans for Soul City ultimately failed.

Black Power; civil rights; community; integration; utopianism

00:00:00 / 00:00:00

I’d Like to Teach the World To Sing

The hosts talk about how the utopian impulse was transformed in the 20th century, as American culture became more individualistic and focused on consumption rather than community.

consumerism; individualism; utopianism

00:00:00 / 00:00:00