Citizenship Themes

Throughout the year in Western Civilization, there have been many opportunities to become much more enlightened about the history, theology, and philosophy of the words past and present. After reading novels and readings such as Looking backwards, the Rerum novarum, and even Women on the edge of Time; there are many themes that have a direct correlation between all three. However after analyzing and going through the discussion had between each novel, it seems that the overall theme connecting the stories together is citizenship. The best way to describe citizenship is as the overall burden and commitments that are linked when being a part of society. Throughout these stories a common ideal of citizenship is how utopian work portrays the government
The world consists of talking cats and even babies being genetically engineered; the world has completely evolved. One of the major themes throughout the first 10 chapters was the Connie’s (the protagonists) perception of the future as a utopia. Although Connie questioned some aspects of this new world, she came to view it as a perfect society in comparison to the 1970’s. Popular social and political topics, including homosexuality and civil rights that were prevalent in the 1970’s are not even thought about by people living in the future because everyone is equal and accepted. With this being said there are some questionable aspects of society in the future that don’t necessarily enhance humanity’s concept of itself. One of the most shocking developments in the alternate world is able to see is the new birthing process. Piercy states that, “Decisions were made forty years back to breed a high portion of darker-skinned people and to mix the genes well through the population. At the same time, we decided to hold on to separate cultural identities. But we broke the bond between genes and culture, broke it forever. We want there to be a no chance of racism again” (Piercy 96). The reasoning behind genetically engineering children was to eliminate racism and to find equality for all. These
After reading and analyzing the texts, it is fair to conclude that the government can create economic equality for all. This is seen in Looking Backwards when the labor class was able to be equally treated as the upper class creating stability. Equality is seen in the Rerum novarum as the Catholic Church believes with sanctions initiated by the government as well as the church being the intermediary there can being equality. There is also equality seen in Woman on the Edge of Time as the government implemented a genetic birth process that made all appearance equal, thus creating equality among all people. Although equality was found throughout government intervention in these readings, citizenship is also incredibly affected. Bellamy described citizenship as being incredibly evolved as citizens still have their differences but are able to work together better. While Pope Leo XIII makes citizenship like Bellamy, however stating that religion is needed by the Catholic Church for equality to be president. Finally Piercy makes citizenship almost unheard of as the differences that makes citizens feel part of a community are taken away with genetic births. Overall, equality can be achieved by government intervention, however there needs to be a fine line or the citizenship humans take a great deal of pride with in society will cease to