A Glimpse of Life on New Earth, Year 2040 [A fragment]

The world smiled. The sun shone for all humankind. All around the world, people walked fearlessly and happily to their everyday concerns with joy in their hearts and a kindly glint in their eyes. The age of darkness and misery was over and the human race had finally come to appreciate and in the day-to-day routine of life, grasped the ideals of all who had fought in the past for human happiness. This was happening the world over, wheresoever men were living, regardless of their race or country. 

I

An old man who looked to be in his eighties sat down on a bench on London Bridge. A young woman in her twenties or thereabouts sat beside him, as did a young man of much the same age. In spite of his years, the old man displayed a sturdy physical make-up and huge energy and was gazing at the scene before him with great curiosity. 

“Grandfather” – the young man said – “I’d love to hear the story of your life, when you left London many years back when you were young and on your own, cut off from your family on that Pacific island.”

“And so you shall” – the old man replied – “but before that I’d like to hear from you the details of the wonderful changes wrought hereabouts, which folk thought were impossible back in the days of my youth. I can see right here everything that remains of the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, London Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral: and a few other places which I assume are regarded as historical monuments Those ugly, cramped brick piles are gone and in their place fine, splendid warehouses, quays, slipways and passages have been built. All in all, great changes in improvement of the area. I appreciate, also, that the appearance of the despised railway bridge in the area has been transformed and adds to the overall respectability of the district.”

“Sure” – the young man said – “most of the pointless ‘businesses’ as they were termed – finance, banking, insurance, etc., – have been allowed to fall into disuse in the current circumstances: the place is awash with tourists from all over the world and they are spellbound by the sights of this renowned old metropolis. The local population has been boosted considerably and is employed in purposeful industries, which bind them to the city, so that, in that respect, they are once more living in accordance with its ancient history. All of our sea ports have been moved inland and changed over time: and are still flooded with goods and travellers. Trading for the sake of mere profit has died out, and in its place there is a mighty trade with lots of other countries. As in different times, one can see fleets of ships on the move but they are better designed and better built for facing the perils of the seas and oceans.

“Brain and brawn no longer symbolize differing strata of society, because nowadays everybody shares in the wide range of social endeavours. Education and learning are shared by all: hence optimum mental and physical resourcefulness and everyone’s genius has a say in everything that is being done.” 

“You mean that individuals toil altruistically for the benefit of others?” – the old man asked.

“No” – the young man replied – “It cannot be said that altruism comes into it. Everything that delivers enjoyment and comfort in life is equally accessible to every person. By ‘equally’ I do not mean that every person receives the same measure of the same thing or anything like that. That view has fallen by the wayside, except in cases of exceptional difficulty such as shipwrecks, etc. I think housing is a good example of what I am talking about. Everybody needs and ought to have decent accommodation, a home, and not be liable to be turned out into the street by anybody whose only concern is with ‘ownership’ and extracting what used to be described as rent from them. Palaces, mansions, farms and workers’ quarters have had their day and are no more. And as you can see for yourself if you look around you, the buildings, of whatever sort they may be, are agreeable and easy on the eye of the beholder. Indoors they are carefully kitted out for all the comfort and convenience of the residents. And they are not all of the same gloomy aspect. Our cities and towns boast a huge range of architectural styles and everything is built to last, as well as with convenience and beauty in mind. The free guilds and trade unions – unions – of the architects, bricklayers and other workers have wrought what must have looked nothing short of a miracle to folk from a hundred years ago. The community is made up of individuals and since every individual has an equal entitlement to access to the benefits of society’s wealth, with everyone’s useful toil or service contributing to society’s assets, so every single person enjoys the benefits of this. Thus, the individual and the common interest are nowadays in perfect harmony. Shakespeare’s words about the ‘quality of mercy’ and being ‘twice blessed’ and ‘a blessing upon the giver and the taker’ can be applied to all our mental or manual exertions. 

“And in actual fact, folk could not bear the sight of unnecessary and avoidable needs and human suffering where there was plenty or where, by all marching in step, we might have a chance of producing plenty for all. Nor, these days, is there any tolerance for stupid, slavish toil. Work should – and among us, does – go hand in hand with whatever intelligence, interest and pride are invested in it. With private fortunes not coexisting with deprivation. A prosperous community in which everyone has an entitlement to share, is the greatest social success of our age.”

(Re-translated from the Spanish translation of J. Ruiz, carried by CENIT (Toulouse) and serialized in the December 1952 and January and February 1953 editions of that periodical)

Translated by: Paul Sharkey.