Now Reading: Popper argued utopian promises create earthly hell
-
01
Popper argued utopian promises create earthly hell
Times of India reports that philosopher Karl Popper, after witnessing a 1919 Vienna protest where police killed 12 people, abandoned his belief in utopian revolution. He later wrote 'The Open Society and…
The Story in Brief
Times of India reports that philosopher Karl Popper, after witnessing a 1919 Vienna protest where police killed 12 people, abandoned his belief in utopian revolution. He later wrote 'The Open Society and Its Enemies' (1945), warning that promises of earthly paradise justify cruelty. Popper contrasted 'piecemeal social engineering' with utopian schemes that treat failure as enemy resistance, citing examples like the French Reign of Terror and Stalin's collectivisation. His argument remains relevant to modern institutions, public policy and technology.
The Indian Opinion
Indian readers are familiar with grand promises from political parties. Popper's warning against utopianism is valuable, but it can be misused to dismiss any ambitious reform. The real risk is not scale but dogmatism. Piecemeal change can also be captured by vested interests. The test for any policy is whether it allows course correction. Watch if the next big government scheme includes independent evaluation measures.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
