The Dispossessed - Anarchy, capitalism, and fighting for freedom across two planets! (no spoilers)

[@JesusIzAPunkRocker]

Great review! I too was really impressed by UKL's even handedness and willingness to discuss the pros and cons of either society. Ambiguous indeed!

[@davidranderson1]

The Dispossessed is such a great book. It's a 5 for me. And, Ursula K. Le Guin is such an amazing writer. It astonishes me that she wrote as much as she did because it's clear that she applies 360 degree thinking about even the smallest point she includes in her books. A lot of writers, particularly in SF and fantasy, engage in some form of world building, but Le Guin seems to build her's from the atoms up. Even the mundane details of daily life are different. The thing I love about the Dispossessed is the core conflict in the book between the nations of Urras that have different political and economic systems (modeled on extreme versions of the US and the USSR) but all rely on a strong central government, and the world of Anarres that is so radically decentralized and anarchistic that you can't really say that it has a government, laws, or even a nation, in the sense we would understand those concepts. Some editions of the book extend the title with the words "An Ambiguous Utopia." As you point out, Shevek discovers that even a society with no laws or government still has "rules," including custom, ideological orthodoxy, and popular opinion. The ideal of perfect, mutually respected freedom frustrated by something embedded in human nature.

[@hugonautspod]

Yea we love it as well, she's just so talented!

[@purenonsense7296]

I read this one around twenty years ago and remember really liking it. I still remembered the basic plot lines and your synopsis helped fill in the gaps. Thanks! It was read the same rough timeframe as the major dystopian books (1984, 451, Brave New World, Atlas Shrugged, etc) and it was fascinating to see all the parallels.

[@hugonautspod]

Hahah it's great that you put Atlas Shrugged in your list of dystopian books

[@WayneManifesto]

Keep up the good work Kings

[@regitzeillum6713]

Anarres is anarcho-syndicalist. That means a mix of socialism and anarchy, but where you band together in self governing entities. Read more on Wikipedia: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarcho-syndicalism

[@hugonautspod]

Oh very interesting - thank you for sharing!

[@psikeyhackr6914]

You should check out: *Voyage from Yesteryear* by James P Hogan Another economic dichotomy story but it has a resolution. I suspect Hogan knew more about economics and technology than Le Guin.