Definition

Noun: 1. The belief in or pursuit of a perfect society: Utopianism is the political orientation or ideology of a utopian, characterized by the advocacy of impossibly idealistic and perfect schemes for social, political, and moral perfection. 2. Idealistic social theory: It refers to the tendency to envision and propose idealized models of society that are often considered impractical or unattainable in reality.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • His political philosophy was rooted in a naive utopianism that ignored human nature.
  • The novel critiques the utopianism of the 19th-century social reformers.
  • While inspiring, her plans were dismissed as mere utopianism by more pragmatic critics.

Advanced Usage

• "to be charged with utopianism": to be accused of holding impractical, idealistic views.
  • The policy proposal was charged with utopianism for its assumption of universal cooperation.
• "a critique of utopianism": an analysis or criticism of idealistic social theories.
  • The essay serves as a powerful critique of utopianism in modern political thought.

Variants and Related Words

• Utopian (adj/noun): (adj) Pertaining to or characteristic of a utopia; idealistic but impractical. (noun) An advocate or believer in utopian ideals.
  • adj: His utopian vision of a classless society.
  • noun: She was considered a utopian by her contemporaries.
• Utopia (noun): An imagined place or state of things where everything is perfect.
  • The book describes a fictional utopia on a distant island.

Synonyms

• Idealism: The practice of forming or pursuing ideals, especially unrealistically.
• Perfectionism: The refusal to accept any standard short of perfection (often in a social or political context).
• Millenarianism: The belief in a future thousand-year age of blessedness, often linked to utopian thought.

Antonyms

• Realism: The attitude or practice of accepting a situation as it is and being prepared to deal with it accordingly.
• Pragmatism: A practical, matter-of-fact way of approaching or assessing situations or of solving problems.
• Cynicism: An inclination to believe that people are motivated purely by self-interest; skepticism regarding idealistic proposals.

Related Phrases and Concepts

• "Utopian socialism": Early socialist thinkers (like Robert Owen) who believed in creating perfect communities through persuasion and example.
  • The commune was an experiment in Utopian socialism.
• "Dystopian" (adj): Related to an imagined state or society where there is great suffering or injustice, often the opposite of a utopia.
  • The film is set in a dystopian future.

Noun

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