Looking Backward – Bellamy’s Ideal Society Education and Job Training

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1. a. Summary of Bellamy’s New Economic Situation and the Problems He Tries to Solve Edward Bellamy’s Looking Backward is a response to solve the social and economic problems of the 19th century. He applies the idea of rationality to these problems, and his ideal economy surpasses the past through its enlightened thinking and rational action. Through these decisions, a positive human nature helps create a society of justice in which all citizens are deemed equal. One major aspect of this ideal economy is that it reevaluates the education system and trains laborers more efficiently. It responds to the terribly expensive college education in the 1887, which divided the labor force and limited job opportunities. In the novel, Dr. Leete explains “it was not college education but college dissipation and extravagance which was expensive” to which Bellamy replies many “could [not] afford the loss of time from industrial pursuits”(105) meaning many found it more prosperous to start work at a younger age than to finish their schooling. In 1887, “boys of the poorer classes usually went to work at sixteen or younger and knew their trade at twenty”, therefore extra education, especially college, was not thought necessary (106). Because of this, those less educated had less opportunity to get higher wages and work their way up in the labor force. Manual labor was associated with “rude, coarse, and ignorant class of people”, where those who had the resources to attend college could pursue a more prestigious career (106). The wide range of years of education led to a divided society and caused economic injustice through wage discrepancies. Not all persons had equal opportunities and it promoted the idea of every man for himself. b. Strengths and Weaknesses of Bellamy’s Solutions to The Problems Bellamy answers these problems by explaining how rational approaches to education
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