Mene tekel! Eine Entdeckungsreise nach Europa

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

56991

Title

Mene tekel! Eine Entdeckungsreise nach Europa

Language

de

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Arnold von der Passer's speculative novel envisions a future where socialism triumphs in Africa, only to witness its eventual collapse in Europe. The narrative contrasts a utopian African society with the grim, degenerate reality of a capitalist Europe, exploring themes of social evolution, the dangers of unchecked capitalism, and the cyclical nature of history.

Summary up to 500 words

Published in 1893, Arnold von der Passer's *Mene tekel! Eine Entdeckungsreise nach Europa* serves as a dystopian warning against the trajectory of unchecked capitalism. The narrative utilizes a speculative timeline to contrast two divergent futures. The first, set in the year 2398, depicts the 'Freilandstaat' (Free Land State), a utopian socialist society founded five centuries prior in Africa by European reformers. By the late 23rd century, this nation has successfully eradicated slavery, colonized the Sahara, and achieved a harmonious existence where the wealthy elite and the masses live in equality. However, this idyllic future is revealed to be the result of a specific historical divergence in Europe. In the novel's primary timeline, the Social Democratic movement was violently suppressed around 1901 by reactionary forces, most notably the figure of Eugen Richter. Following this suppression, the working class was subjected to immense exploitation, leading to severe physical and moral degeneration by 1970. The text describes a world where the upper ten thousand have become corrupt and decadent, while the proletariat lives in squalor, suffering from malnutrition, disease, and the loss of traditional crafts. The author argues that capitalism inevitably leads to ruin and that the socialist experiment represents the necessary evolution of humanity. The story functions as a critique of the forces that seek to destroy social progress, illustrating that those who actively campaign against the working class are far more dangerous to the state than the socialists themselves. Ultimately, the novel posits that the capitalist mode of production is doomed to collapse, and it is the duty of society to prepare for this transition through the education and empowerment of the Social Democratic movement, lest humanity fall into a state of barbarism.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Fiction
• Travel