Is Anthem by Ayn Rand a free society or a Utopia?
It’s neither! I’m a bit stunned that anyone would think the society in Anthem is either. By definition, in a free society, all individuals act voluntarily. Individuals in a free society find it safe to be unpopular. This can be elaborated in terms of freedom of speech – if people have a right to express their views without fear of arrest, imprisonment, or physical harm. Obviously, this is not the case in Anthem, as the people are told what to think, do and speak day in and day out. As far as Utopia, it’s not that either. A Utopian society is one that is perfect. It has a perfect balance of socio-political-legal system. In this kind of fictional society, every thing is in balance, perfect and everyone is happy. This isn’t the case in Anthem. The government has complete control over the masses. They are not happy, they are essentially slaves to the government. If anything, the society in Anthem is a DYSTOPIA. Meaning, there is the semblance that everything is working fine, but there is n
