Chapter Four Embracing and Learning from Utopian Thought
Abstract Chapter four examines alternatives to the current growth model and delves into utopian thought and constructs. It offers a look into history, from Plato's the 'just 'man and the 'just' society to the present time's small intentional community and ecovillage ideals and examines the impact of both utopian as well as dystopian thinking on societies. Utopia is relevant in this context due to the fact that sustainable development is a radically different societal model to the one currently in place. Utopian ideas are radical, and whilst conventional theories of development may have the same aim to improve the lives of citizens, it's from utopian theories that we can learn about the nature of radical models, and how they have succeeded or failed in impacting societies over time. Linking this to the sustainability construct and the attempts at translating it into practical application, utopia provides contexts and knowledge to learn from, including the barriers that are preventing it from being realised. The chapter looks at real-world utopian experiments, where some have failed and some still exist, and this provides additional practical knowledge. The enquiry into utopia spans the history from the time of Plato to the present.