An Analysis Of Ernest Callenbach's Ecotopia

Ernest Callenbach’s Ecotopia paints the picture of an ecologically-conscious society that rejects a market-centric lifestyle, and instead focuses on a harmonious balance between man and nature. In Ecotopia, the population is scattered across the bulk of what once was the West Coast of the United States, residing in quiet cities and working leisurely hours, satisfied to consume little and live modestly. Sustainable living is the norm, and synthetic materials and products are largely avoided. To a market fundamentalist like Milton Friedman, this lack of competition and apparent productivity seems much more like a dystopia. In the unlikely scenario that Friedman were to be transported to Ecotopia, he would be desperate to make it more tolerable for himself. Thus, armed with capitalistic ideas, Friedman would likely target Ecotopia’s simple transportation system and try to begin an automotive empire, attempting to …show more content…
Furthermore, it will explain why Friedman is unlikely to succeed, as the changes made in Ecotopian society have resulted in fundamentally different values from his, preventing his appeal from being relatable. In the “car-less” world of Ecotopia, Friedman sees as an open market niche, ready to be filled by the production and sale of sports cars. Transportation in Ecotopia is largely comprised of walking or biking, with minibus systems in larger cities and trains for longer distance travel. Although electric vehicles do exist, Friedman, like the American narrator of Ecotopia, would likely scoff at the transportation, believing that “the primitive and underpowered” Ecotopian modes of transport “can’t satisfy the urge of speed and freedom” present driving on an American highway. The entirety of Friedman’s works have demonstrated a staunch belief that it is the independent choice to struggle against