Orwell Versus Huxley: Economics, Technology, Privacy, and Satire
University of Chicago Law School, John M. Olin Law & Economics Working Paper No. 89
43 Pages Posted: 19 Nov 1999
Date Written: November 1999
Abstract
Orwell's novel Nineteen Eighty-Four and Huxley's novel Brave New World have often been thought prophetic commentaries on economic, political, and social matters. I argue, with particular reference to the supposed applicability of these novels to issues of technology and privacy, that the novels are best understood as literary works of art, rather than as social science or commentary, and that when so viewed Orwell's novel in particular reflects a dissatisfaction with everyday life and a nostalgia for Romantic values.
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Richard A. Posner (Contact Author)
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