Equality, Liberty, and Fraternity: The Relevance of Edward Bellamy's Utopia for Contemporary Political Theory

Abstract

Contemporary political theories have made significant progress toward identifying the principles for an egalitarian society. From this perspective, Edward Bellamy's radical and pluralistic egalitarianism can be read not only as a relevant precedent but as a source of sophisticated arguments capable of enriching current debates. Although unfairly overlooked as theoretical works, Bellamy's utopias can be read today as offering insights that bring together and combine key modern ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity. Therefore, this article argues that Bellamy's conception of equality involves several dimensions and functions as a background condition for effective (republican and liberal) freedoms; that these liberties are not at odds with voluntary equality; and that fraternity—understood in Rawlsian terms—makes sense in a free and equal soci- ety, as it is guaranteed both by institutional means and by personal decisions.

El equilibrio reflexivo en la utopía socialista de Edward Bellamy

“…Si bien Edward Bellamy no es considerado un miembro del canon marxista, no cabe duda de que sí es parte de la tradición del socialismo ético. Looking Backward influyó decisivamente en la formación de Eugene Debs; fue traducido y prologado por Clara Zetkin; y el propio Bellamy conocía de primera mano las obras de los marxistas de la Segunda Internacional (Lizárraga, 2020). Las obras de Shakespeare, por otra parte, están entre las favoritas de Bellamy, tal como éste lo revela al describir la biblioteca del Dr. Leete.…”