Technology and Politics in Czech Dystopian Literature of the 20th Century

Keywords: technology and politics, Czech political literature, 20th-century dystopias

Abstract

This article examines the interplay between politics and technology in Czech negative utopias from the 20th century, focusing on two seminal works: Karel Čapek’s 1920 play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) and Jiří Marek’s 1967 novel Blažený věk. Both works represent significant literary experiments, using their depictions of ostensibly ideal societies as vehicles for critiquing both Czechoslovak and broader European political realities. Despite the nearly fifty-year gap between them and their differing genres, these works share thematic similarities, particularly in their concerns about the effects of modern technology on human life. Additionally, both texts have profoundly influenced contemporary popular culture, generating enduring social commentary and stimulating discussions within political spheres and among science fiction enthusiasts.

Author Biography

Marcin Pomarański, Uniwersytet Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej w Lublinie

Politolog i filozof; adiunkt w Instytucie Nauk o Polityce i Administracji Uniwersytetu Marii Curie-Skłodowskiej w Lublinie; autor publikacji naukowych podejmujących problematykę współczesnych doktryn i ruchów politycznych, relacji polityki i religii, a także form współczesnej utopii politycznej. Autor monografii Ruchy secesjonistyczne w USA w XXI wieku (Lublin 2020) oraz Współczesny amerykański fundamentalizm protestancki (Lublin 2013).

Published
2024-09-30
How to Cite
[1]
Pomarański, M. 2024. Technology and Politics in Czech Dystopian Literature of the 20th Century. Perspectives on Culture. 46, 3 (Sep. 2024), 377-390. DOI:https://doi.org/10.35765/pk.2024.4603.23.