Socialism And Communism In Kurt Vonnegut's Harrison Bergeron

“Harrison Bergeron” is a famous short story by Kurt Vonnegut written in 1961 about the future. “Harrison Bergeron” is about equality in 2018 and the amendments made to the constitution at the time. “Harrison Bergeron” is also about the United States Handicapped generation and how equality is unceasing in the handicapped population.
“The central argument . . . is that ‘Harrison Bergeron’ is Vonnegut’s hyperbolic diagnosis of a sharp decline in American intellectualism―our creativity empathy, individualism, and basic cognition―during the era in which television replaced popular literature as our primary medium of diversion” (Reed, 2015, 45). Vonnegut portrays socialism and communism in “Harrison Bergeron” in order to discuss equality. “The equality of outcome satirized in ‘Harrison Bergeron’ is darker and more pernicious than socialism, or over-zealous egalitarianism, or even the free market” (Reed, 2015). It is a satire of misconstruction of quality and civil rights. One of the reasons Vonnegut wants to overthrow the amendments and the government is because of the strength of equal society. Another reason Vonnegut wants to overthrow the amendments and the government is because of law-abiding citizens.
“Harrison Bergeron” is also about the United States Handicapped generation and how equality is
“The culture values mediocrity to the point that the people accept oppressive measures in the name of equality” (2011). Although none of the citizens really gains anything from the misguided attempts to enforce equality except for the unprofessional. “Vonnegut implies that civil rights should never be sacrificed, not even for the alleged common good” (2011). “Harrison Bergeron” also addresses the amendments used for equality. “The equality of outcome satirized in ‘Harrison Bergeron’ is darker and arguably more pernicious than socialism, or over-zealous egalitarianism, or even the free market” (Reed,