Paperback, 382 pages
Castellano language
Published Aug. 15, 1983 by Minotauro.
La historia ocurre en el planeta doble Urras / Anarres. Los habitantes de Anarres son los descendientes de exiliados de Urras a causa de su participación en una revolución anarquista doscientos años antes de los sucesos que se relatan en el libro. Su régimen político es una especie de anarquismo taoísta, en un mundo extremadamente pobre en recursos. Los habitantes de Urras, por el contrario, han desarrollado una cultura urbana capitalista en un mundo que no impone tantos rigores para la supervivencia.
El protagonista, Shevek, es un científico anarquista que pretende desarrollar una teoría que permita la construcción de un ansible: un dispositivo de comunicación interestelar que supere las limitaciones de la física relativista y la velocidad de la luz. Shevek decide embarcarse en un arriesgado viaje hacia Urras con el objetivo de contactar con otros matemáticos y físicos que puedan hacer realidad las implicaciones prácticas de la misma.
A deeply thought out exploration of different kinds of societies, that also happens to come with well-rounded, deeply-flawed characters and genuine tension. It is, as advertised, a thought-provoking masterpiece: a piece about politics and human nature, albeit in space opera clothes.
...und erst recht diejenigen, die sich selbst als politisch links einordnen würden.
Der Protagonist Shevek lebt in einer anarchistischen Gesellschaft auf dem Mond Anarres, wo er sein Leben der Physik verschrieben hat. Das Buch erzählt abwechselnd aus der Vergangenheit und aus der Gegenwart, wo Shevek den Mond verlässt, um seine Forschungen in der kapitalistischen Gesellschaft auf dem Planeten Urras zu betreiben. Die beiden Handlungsstränge sind dabei sehr schön verwoben, immer wieder gibt es in der Gegenwart Momente, die im Kontext der vorigen Erzählung aus der Vergangenheit in einen anderen Kontext gerückt werden.
Keine der beiden Handlungsstränge ist jedoch konfliktfrei; in der Gegenwart muss Shevek sich in einem kapitalistischen System zurechtfinden, Machtspielchen mitspielen und sich selbst als Bauer im großen Schachspiel der Mächte auf Urras begreifen. Die Kapitel auf Anarres sind weniger akut konfliktreich, dafür erkunden sie umso mehr die positiven Seiten – aber, und das hat mir auch sehr gut …
...und erst recht diejenigen, die sich selbst als politisch links einordnen würden.
Der Protagonist Shevek lebt in einer anarchistischen Gesellschaft auf dem Mond Anarres, wo er sein Leben der Physik verschrieben hat. Das Buch erzählt abwechselnd aus der Vergangenheit und aus der Gegenwart, wo Shevek den Mond verlässt, um seine Forschungen in der kapitalistischen Gesellschaft auf dem Planeten Urras zu betreiben. Die beiden Handlungsstränge sind dabei sehr schön verwoben, immer wieder gibt es in der Gegenwart Momente, die im Kontext der vorigen Erzählung aus der Vergangenheit in einen anderen Kontext gerückt werden.
Keine der beiden Handlungsstränge ist jedoch konfliktfrei; in der Gegenwart muss Shevek sich in einem kapitalistischen System zurechtfinden, Machtspielchen mitspielen und sich selbst als Bauer im großen Schachspiel der Mächte auf Urras begreifen. Die Kapitel auf Anarres sind weniger akut konfliktreich, dafür erkunden sie umso mehr die positiven Seiten – aber, und das hat mir auch sehr gut gefallen, auch die Fallstricke, die dem Ideal einer anarchistischen Gesellschaft letztendlich doch entgegenstehen. Shevek rückt niemals davon ab, dass die Gesellschaft auf Anarres gerechter ist, doch merken er und seine Freund*innen, dass die menschliche Natur auch dort Wege findet, um Macht und Bürokratie zu manifestieren, wenn auch weit subtiler als in kapitalistischen oder sozialistischen Gesellschaften.
Die Erzählungen aus der Vergangenheit enden dort, wo das Buch in der Gegenwart beginnt, sodass am Ende auch noch ein schönes Schleifchen um die Geschichte gedreht wird. Ich lag wirklich lange wach, nachdem ich das Buch abends gelesen habe und dachte über meine persönliche Beziehung zu der dort geschilderten Gesellschaft nach. Diskussionsstoff mit meinen Freund*innen hat es mir auch schon einigen gegeben. Ich würde das Buch eigentlich jedem ans Herz legen, der sich für die hier besprochenen Themen interessiert.
Einen halben Stern Abzug gibt es für die Party-Szene, in der Shevek zum ersten Mal Alkohol trinkt (auf Anarres gibt es keinen) und gegenüber einer Frau sexuell übergriffig wird. Die Szene existiert nicht ohne narrativen Grund, allerdings hat ihre Folgenlosigkeit für die weitere Handlung einen etwas bitteren Nachgeschmack bei mir hinterlassen.
Ursula K. Le Guin trata con maestría conceptos tan profundos y filosóficos como qué es la libertad en una sociedad organizada. Se acerca a cómo se organizan las sociedades mediante sus leyes y sistemas económicos. Y, además, te va descubriendo todo esto con una alternancia de capítulos entre una ubicación y otra bastante bien manejada.
Me costó que me enganchase al principio, pero luego me ha encantado. Para mí, a la altura de clásicos como Un Mundo Feliz, me ha hecho reflexionar mucho y me ha marcado.
What would happen if people fed up with a capitalist society could start anew, on their own world, and implement a truly equal society? How would it compare? Is it really a better way of living? Or simply different?
All these questions are packed into this great novel. It was my favourite from the Hainish cycle, after The Left Hand of Darkness left me a bit disappointed. This one though was truly exciting.
Like all of Le Guin's work, The Dispossessed comes across as deeply informed. We are presented with a credible anarchist society based on the concept of mutual aid, which is constantly juxtaposed with the more familiar capitalist dystopia to present the unique challenges such a society may face -- the price of its people's freedom and where the new walls appear.
Un libro bellissimo, che parla di anarchia più di quanto i testi anarchici criptici e volutamente astrusi alla comprensione abbiano mai fatto. La descrizione perfetta di una società capitalistica, patriarcale, guerrafondaia, classista in contrapposizione a chi ha effettuato la scelta di non volere più nulla di questo, di voler scientemente non possedere nulla di materiale o immateriale per poi in realtà condividere tutto. Certo nulla è perfetto e ci sarà sempre chi cercherà di esercitare il potere anche se in modo lieve, qualcosa scricchiola. Questo libro è entrato a far parte dei miei "libri fondamentali", quelli da dover leggere almeno una volta nella vita.
More plot than most of her books, it still turns back into a person on a journey. Shevek is on a journey from his anarchic home to a capitalist world. What propels him from a simple world of shared struggles? Why leave? When he arrives can he accomplish his goals? Is there something he can do that the people there couldn’t do for themselves? Will he be trapped and neutralized by the soft prison of luxury?
And how can he return home? What awaits an anarchist who is seen to turn his back on the revolution?
I love the deep thinking about language and the practice of mutual aid in a land with few resources. I love the true struggle to stay good when the droughts hit. And the challenge that centralization and coordination always brings. Everything is dealt with in indirect ways that paint larger pictures just out of …
More plot than most of her books, it still turns back into a person on a journey. Shevek is on a journey from his anarchic home to a capitalist world. What propels him from a simple world of shared struggles? Why leave? When he arrives can he accomplish his goals? Is there something he can do that the people there couldn’t do for themselves? Will he be trapped and neutralized by the soft prison of luxury?
And how can he return home? What awaits an anarchist who is seen to turn his back on the revolution?
I love the deep thinking about language and the practice of mutual aid in a land with few resources. I love the true struggle to stay good when the droughts hit. And the challenge that centralization and coordination always brings. Everything is dealt with in indirect ways that paint larger pictures just out of sight, beyond the edge of the book.
Highly recommend.
Bisogna leggere Ursula K. Le Guin
I wouldn't have described myself as an anarchist before this book; I would now. This book presents a form of society that has gripped me, and brought me hope. Truly excellent sci-fi.
Leguin’s social study on anarchism and capitalism is as entertaining as it is instructive.
Went into this book having heard not a lot about it, and did not expect it to turn into an anarchist manifesto, but was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the discussions between the characters and the vivacity of the world described. Will definitely purchase a copy for myself.
Primero la historia
El personaje es un físico, lo que ya me predispone bien
Sin embargo, mi profesión es común en las novelas de ciencia ficción, y me pregunto cuánto habrá tenido eso que ver con elegirla.
Sin embargo, el personaje de LeGuin es un físico muy real. Hay algo extremadamente familiar en la constante introspección, el aislamiento que se siente aunque no se sufre, y la necesidad de poner todo lo demás a un costado para aprender algo acerca del funcionamiento del universo.
No me había sentido tan identificado con un personaje desde... bueno, desde el Severian de Gene Wolfe que me dió un nick para las redes.
La manera de narrar, con una aproximación desde dos tiempos, el presente de Shevek en Urras y su vida anterior en Anarris, en capítulos alternados, funciona muy bien.
Vamos aprendiendo de Shevek y de Anarris a medida que él va aprendiendo …
Primero la historia
El personaje es un físico, lo que ya me predispone bien
Sin embargo, mi profesión es común en las novelas de ciencia ficción, y me pregunto cuánto habrá tenido eso que ver con elegirla.
Sin embargo, el personaje de LeGuin es un físico muy real. Hay algo extremadamente familiar en la constante introspección, el aislamiento que se siente aunque no se sufre, y la necesidad de poner todo lo demás a un costado para aprender algo acerca del funcionamiento del universo.
No me había sentido tan identificado con un personaje desde... bueno, desde el Severian de Gene Wolfe que me dió un nick para las redes.
La manera de narrar, con una aproximación desde dos tiempos, el presente de Shevek en Urras y su vida anterior en Anarris, en capítulos alternados, funciona muy bien.
Vamos aprendiendo de Shevek y de Anarris a medida que él va aprendiendo sobre la sociedad capitalista de Urras.
Lo conocemos a él mientras él nos conoce a nosotros.
Me parece muy buena estructura.
Leímos "Los desposeídos" en las ediciones 19 a 22 de nuestro Club de #LecturaMastodontica
mastodon.la/@SeverianX/105929916780916472 mastodon.la/@SeverianX/105969567767581383 mastodon.la/@SeverianX/106009205603057007 mastodon.la/@SeverianX/106048862564271434 mastodon.la/@SeverianX/106088459256548717
It’s a testament to Le Guin’s integrity and imagination that should could imagine so precisely the limitations of a social system she herself advocated for.
Like most Le Guin’s Hainish Cycle novels, this is primarily an anthropological work. It’s more concerned with society and ideology than with plot or characters.
A classic of speculative fiction, The Dispossessed is a seminal work of the genre.
On a personal note, I loved the subplot about a gay character who wishes he could have children of his own, even in a society where child rearing is communal. While not the focus of the story, it touches briefly on subject that remains a strong taboo in the gay community to this day.
Un libro di fantascienza geniale, avvincente e al tempo stesso ricco di significato. Negli ultimi anni ho tratto grande piacere dallo studio del pensiero anarchico e delle sue differenze con il comunismo autoritario (e chiaramente con il capitalismo). Penso che il pensiero anarchico sia criminalmente escluso dagli studi scolastici e che moltissime persone, per questo motivo, non sappiano realmente cosa sia. I reietti dell'altro pianeta immagina un'utopia anarchica, dandole però sostanza: è bellissimo vedere come funzionerebbe una società anarchica secondo Ursula Le Guin, anche perché ne presenta anche le possibili criticità. La critica feroce alla concezione del lavoro e dello sfruttamento nel capitalismo sono da pelle d'oca. Ho imparato più sull'anarchia leggendo lei che leggendo Kropotkin!
Content warning Spoliers
I love Ursula but this has been my least liked book of hers so I'm giving 4 stars instead of 5. I enjoyed the heavy intellectual ideas. I enjoyed the romance. I was utterly destroyed that she made this main character who I had thoroughly liked, out of nowhere sexually assault a woman because he experiences alcohol for the first time in his life. The way it's written is really fucking blaming the woman victim character while our main character dude just gets to brush it off and go on with his life as the hero and doesn't even think about this incident for even one goddamn second for the rest of the book. I know Ursula took some serious thoughts about feminism later in life and made some apologies and changes in her writing with the Earthsea series which I thought was wonderful. I really wish she had taken the time to go back and edit or at least write an apology about this. It fucking sucks. The rest of the story is great. This one scene should be deleted. It's fucking horrible. And no it's totally not believable that creating an anarchist communist society would suddenly erase rape and that rape is just an invention of capitalism and greed. Yea no. I can't bite down on that idea at all. The other heavy ideas make sense but only up to a point and then it's just like trying to say capitalism causes humans to rape. Like no fuck you. Rapists are psychopaths. They are the same as murderers. They are born with it in their brain. They cannot feel empathy. They are predators. Society can't make them do it or not do it. They exist in every society through all time. They can't be fixed either. And a man who is absolutely loving to his true love, his little daughters will not just suddenly sexually assault a woman because he got exposed to capitalism and alcohol and "went crazy." Fucking bullshit rape apology sexist bullshit. And then feel absolutely no remorse about it? Cmon!!
