Utopia for Realists

“A more politically radical Malcolm Gladwell.”
— New York Times

Overview

After working all day at jobs we often dislike, we buy things we don’t need. Rutger Bregman, a Dutch historian, reminds us that it needn’t be this way—and in some places it isn’t. His TED Talk on universal basic income, delivered in 2014, challenged the status quo; a quarter of a million views later, leading economists and government leaders worldwide are seriously considering the idea. This is just one of the many utopian concepts Bregman proves possible today.

Case Studies and Historical Examples

• A Canadian city that once completely eradicated poverty
• Richard Nixon’s near implementation of a basic income for millions of Americans

Key Themes

• Universal basic income
• Eradication of poverty
• The fifteen-hour workweek
• Moving beyond traditional left–right divides
• The power of utopian thinking

Why Read This Book

Every progressive milestone of civilization—from the end of slavery to the beginning of democracy—was once considered a utopian fantasy. Utopia for Realists demonstrates that new utopian ideas can become reality in our lifetime. Being unrealistic and unreasonable can, in fact, make the impossible inevitable—and it is the only way to build the ideal world.