Political Theoretical Implications of The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin
Based on Black Lives Matter by Keeanga Yamahtta Taylor
And APostcapitalist Politics by J. K. Gibson-Graham
Over the decades, there have been recurring debates surrounding Utopia and its Counter twin dystopia, that exists in the western culture. There has also been difficult in finding a balance between the individual and the collective fields. Additionally, the question that has always existed is how to recommend an evolutionary system of the government for communities that are based on evolution. The conflict that existed between Utopia and Dystopia started based on the foundation description genre by Thomas More’s “The Best State of a Commonwealth and the Island of Utopia” (More, 1965). With no doubt, the two societies, Utopia and dystopia exhibit political criticism, which through literal texts, they are interpreted as fictional words. This paper is meant to explore the political theoretical implications of The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin using Black Lives matter by Keeanga Yamahtta Taylor and the APostcapitalist Politics by J. K. Gibson-Graham. This means analyzing the contemporary politics of the United States based on the Dispossessed.
The setting of the novel is an indication of the anarchism society. The actions of the societies seem to be divided into two planets to make reasonable existence of a thriving anarchy society in a civilized world like the contemporary United States society, despite their fate in the 20th century. Urra as described in the text is divided just as the contemporary earth (Le Guin 1975). On it, there is a nation referred to as A-lo, which corresponds to the contemporary United States or any other western countries. According to Le Guin, the ambassador from Terror describes the government as not despotic, meaning that despite the rich being so wealthy, the poor do not lack so much and are not starved nor enslaved. The anarchism political society can be linked to the neoliberalism political system as described in “Black Lives Matters” by Yamahtta (2016). The anarchism society seems in the text calls for the abolition of state government, which is deemed as harmful and undesirable to the citizens. On the other neoliberalism political system as described by Yamahtta, existed during President Obama’s term, and was meant to improve the lives of the blacks.
Additionally, the theme of sociopolitical difference is depicted in the novel “Dispossessed”. For instance, Urra from the text is different from our earth. On the other hand, A-lo is more successful than the contemporary west countries with a more successful government that has succeeded in redeeming the natural environment from the predations of the free enterprise (Le Guin 1975). Anarres as described by Le Guin has been inhabited by colonists of odonians, described as anarchists of Urrasti origin. This system makes the anarchist system as old enough and unsuccessful. The anarchy system from the text can be described as a neocolonialism rule that existed in the United States before the United System gains its independence. The Citizens got tired of being controlled by the colonists and they fought for their freedom. Matter in his book “Black Lives Matter’ describes how the Black people formed a movement to fight for freedom (Yamahtta 2016). The main aim of the black movement was to create freedom for the oppressed black communities. Eventually, their effort led to a successful neoliberalism political system.
The dispossessed is a speculative fiction that explores the implication of political problems and ideologies that exists in contemporary society. The Utopian as described in the genre by Le Guin, is a no better place, that one that is divorced from the current political formations. According to the author, the Utopian is unbounded and can only be reached through breaking out of it or through liberation from the bonds preventing social disorders (Le Guin 1975). The Dispossessed calls us to lead to an older political and social thought based on tradition. Hence, it means that the traditional forces can connect with the political context that exists. Hence, through this understanding, one can link the political problems arising from it.
The above point can be linked to the contemporary United States Society and the political problems that are currently facing. For instance, racism as described in the text “Black Lives Matter” can be connected to this context (Matter 2016). The issue of racism started in the era of neo-colonialism rule and it has been a major public issue of concern. Despite the blacks fighting for the abolition of it, it still exists in the contemporary United States society. This takes us to the former government that advocated for policies that supported racism. To summarize, the issue of racism stated in the past and it is hard for the current government to eradicate it.
From the text “Dispossessed”, there is a theme of the contemporary platitudes bout the justice system. For instance, the odonians philosophy of the Anarres is practiced by Shiveks on his way to Urra. In other words, the author illustrates that Anarres had stagnated due to prolonged isolation, which made it appear intolerant towards Urra. As a result, this was against anarchist’s ideals and solidarity across political boundaries. This represents criticism of a society, which has refused to change, that is Anarres. Therefore, this kind of stagnation is linked to the end of capitalism in the text “APostcapitalist politics” by Gibson-Graham. The authors illustrate about constructing a new form of language in economic diversity that can be useful in cultivating solidarity among the far-flung community economies (Gibson-Graham 2006). The movie “Full Monty” demonstrates that an individual’s identity and sexuality are the critical elements in creating an economic agency. In summary, the two texts in this context, illustrate about change in society. For instance, capitalism, that existed in the old word should be eradicated and be replaced with an economic diversion in a new form of language.
The Urrasti from the text “Dispossessed provide a clear definition of the cold war and past western geopolitical tension drives the Earth to immorality. The author, Le Guin reveals the reality of the universe that exists to Shevek through its sexual amorality nature, which oppresses women. This relates to the “Blacks Lives Lives Matter’, where the author advocates the eradication of black’s labor struggle. Yamahtta demonstrates the formation of the Civil Rights Movement in 1925 that was meant to black worker’s labor actions (Matter 2016). From both genres, we see the theme discrimination of women and black people, which still exists in contemporary society. Despite the blacks fighting for their freedom, there is still the case of women’s oppression in society. The only difference in the current United States is that there are policies that advocate for black lives and gender equality. Otherwise, racial discrimination and gender inequality is still a major public issue of concern.
Another political theoretical implication from the “Dispossessed” is that money is not the only path towards innovation and knowledge, since, it can lead to morality depravity, when not carefully observed (Le Guin 1975). This is demonstrated towards the return of Shevek to Anarres since he realizes that money is not the source of everything. This theory connects to the desire of superpowers by the United States to uphold its financial strength and science. Likewise, from Gibson-Graham’s point of view, in APostcapitalist Politics, she states that through the deconstruction of the economy, we can broaden imaginations about what works, businesses, and exchanges are. She states that most of the work in the United States is entrepreneurial. This implies that good work is supposed to be non-capitalist, cooperative, and governmental. Hence, from both Gibson-Graham (2006) and Le Guin’s text genres, the main point is that money is not supposed to be the core thing in our minds. Individuals should always think of how to work in cooperation and target achieving quality work, rather than focusing on monetary values.
Furthermore, Dispossessed demonstrates unity across all ideological boundaries. For instance, the economic structure that exists in Anneresti encourages equality among society. However, Shevek, who a talented scientist is not allowed to strive in it properly (Le Guin 1975). Hence, this gives an ironic description of a perfect Utopia, since it is supposed to give equal opportunities to all the individuals to create an ideal world. However, describing this from the current society, socialism and Capitalism tend to result in a chaotic and anarchy system as the most possible solution. This is because they tend to favor one over the other. This inequality in the society is also demonstrated in the “Black Lives Matter” by Yamahtta, where he demonstrates the society giving equal opportunities and freedom to the black communities (Yamahtta 2006). He is advocating for equal socialism and capitalism to all the individual that belongs in society. Therefore, from the above point, unity is the most critical way towards forming a union between the individual and the society.
Moreover, the ambiguous Utopia demonstrates the attempt to eradicate all the Capitalist propaganda that exist in the 20th century of the American culture (Le Guin 1975). The United States attempts to promote this propaganda through films such as Batman Villain; a joker. This is because, through the chaos system, it believes that the society, political-economic system, the capitalist is invented to maintain the unjust status quo. Hence, the society has been presented as a joke. Therefore, Le Guin acts against this norm that exists in the society, by attempting to make the anarchy system appear as feasible through Shevek’s universe. The critical point is that Le Guin urges individuals not to focus on the Current society that has unending conflicts between the conservatives and the progressives. There are so many political ideologies that exist in the inside and outside society.
On the other had Gibson and Graham focus on ending capitalism by thinking beyond the scope of free enterprise without focusing on nostalgic ideas that would result from the revolution. The main aim of the authors is to empower people to speak in a common language which is about the alternatives of the economic structure that exists (Graham-Gibson 2006). However, the failure to consider how many would fit into new economic language that they advocate for. Just as in Dispossessed, the main focus of Gibson Graham is to change the standpoints of socialism and capitalism that exist among the people, through introducing a new economic language. They demonstrate how local communities create new kinds of economic relationships to sustain themselves. To summarize, from both Le Guin and Graham-Gibson’s text, they both advocate in ending socialism and Capitalism since it supports chaotic and anarchy political system, which is unfavorable to the individuals in the society.
From the text “Black Lives Matter” by Yamahtta, he advocates for Black liberation in the United States since it is governed by a constitution. She states that for every individual to enjoy capitalism, black people must be granted freedom. Capitalism is conditional foe black people and any other individual that does not benefit directly from its economic disorder. Yamahtta, advocates for #Black lives matter across all the cities of the United States (Yamahtta 2016). The author offers a powerful conclusion, where she states that police brutality demands on black people should be met. The point links with that of Le Guin in the Dispossessed, where she advocates for end in socialism and capitalism. This is because this kind of system tends to favor one individual over the other in society. The two authors in their genres advocates for equality in the society through eradication of chaotic and anarchy system.
There is also the nature of competing depicted from the novel “Dispossessed” This is illustrated in the description of the dual boundary wall of the port of Anarres (Le Guin 1975). This is described as ambiguous because what is inside or outside of the wall depends on one’s location. Shevek’s in the text describes that he has been locked to keep others out of his quarters. He is the only character in the text that gets to experience dualism. This suggests that we have all experienced what Shevek experiences in this part of the novel. Competition still exists in contemporary society through our government system. This results in the harsh experience by the citizens, since the government tends to focus more on the competition of government systems and forget about its citizens.
In conclusion, The Dispossessed novel represents an ambitious Utopia, that advocates for societal change. The anarchy political system that exists in Anarres is a symbol of chaotic and disordered political culture, that hurt most of the individuals in society. Le Guin has succeeded in creating irony and vagueness through a thorough exploration of political chaos, which is often the cause of the war between individuals and society. Most individuals in the society are used to being governed by ideologies and politics, however, these theories can never conform to their needs. To conclude, Le Guin in his genre is advocating for a union between individuals and society.
Works Cited
Le Guin, Ursula K. “The Dispossessed: An Ambiguous Utopia. 1974.” New York: Avon (1975).
Gibson-Graham, Julie Katherine. A postcapitalist politics. U of Minnesota Press, 2006.
Matter, On Black Lives. “see Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor.” From# BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation (Chicago, 2016).