A Modern Utopia

Although best known for his scientific romances that paved the way for the modern science fiction genre, H. G. Wells (1866-1946) produced significant works on politics, society, science and history. Thanks in part to his teacher, T. H. Huxley, Wells became quite interested in the works of well known scientists like Charles Darwin, and admired their ability to imagine and think beyond their times. When writing his 1905 novel, "A Modern Utopia", Wells drew upon Darwinism to trace humanity's evolution and create something like a world state on a distant planet that is identical to Earth. This novel, which blends fiction and philosophy, presents a socialistic Utopian society, in which the whole world shares a common language, capital punishment has been abolished, there is gender equality, and every individual shares the plan for "comprehensive onward development". While acknowledging that a modern Utopia is essentially impossible, Wells comes close to such a world in this fascinating and eerily prophetic novel.