utopianism

u·to·pi·an·ism

also U·to·pi·an·ism U0162000 (yo͞o-tō′pē-ə-nĭz′əm)n. The ideals or principles of a utopian; idealistic and impractical social theory.

utopianism

1. the views and habits of mind of a visionary or idealist, sometimes beyond realization.
2. impracticable schemes of political and social reform. — utopian, utopianist, utopist, n., adj.See also: Utopia

Thesaurus

Noun

Utopianism - the political orientation of a Utopian who believes in impossibly idealistic schemes of social perfectionideology, political orientation, political theory - an orientation that characterizes the thinking of a group or nation

Translations

utopianism

any form of social or political thinking or social theory which presents an ideal form of society as a realizable model of future society (see UTOPIA).

Such thinking has sometimes been criticized as fostering political objectives or political strategies which may have little empirical or theoretical basis (compare Marx's rejection of UTOPIAN SOCIALISM). For MANNHEIM (Ideology and Utopia, 1929), however, utopian ideas can be distinguished from most ideologies in always possessing a potentially ‘transforming effect upon an existing historical social order’. In this sense utopianism may sometimes help to bring about at least some aspects of the ideal model of society which it advances (see also FRANKFURT SCHOOL OF CRITICAL THEORY). At the same time, Mannheim did not fail to notice that utopianism was often rooted in irrationalism. See also MILLENARIANISM, COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOUR.

utopianism

u·to·pi·an·ism

utopianism

utopianism

utopianism

Utopianism

Words related to Utopianism

noun the political orientation of a Utopian who believes in impossibly idealistic schemes of social perfection

Related Words