"Catholic writer" in "Can socialists be happy?"

[mollie]

Hi

In "Can socialists be happy?" Orwell mentions that "A Catholic writer said recently that Utopias are now technically feasible and that in consequence how to avoid Utopia had become a serious problem." I haven't been able to find any reference to this quote aside from links to Orwell's own essay - does anyone have any idea who this writer is?

Thanks

m.

[Cricket123]

I can't guarantee this, but that sounds like G. K. Chesterton. Though "recently" could be no later than 1936, in this case. Chesterton published countless essays, and I can't find that quotation, but it sure sounds like him to me. Maybe this might help?

[Cricket123]

I'm not sure if the first reply posted or not, so I'll try again. Sorry, I'm new.

The reply was:

I can't guarantee this, but that sounds like G. K. Chesterton. Though "recently" could be no later than 1936, in this case. Chesterton published countless essays, and I can't find that quotation, but it sure sounds like him to me. Maybe this might help?

[mollie]

Cricket 123

Thank you very much for your answer, and sorry for the delay in replying! I do appreciate that - I will see if I can get hold of a collection of his later essays to see if the quote crops up - Can Socialists be happy? was published in 1943, so as you say, it must have been towards the end of Chesterton's life, if it was his essay that Orwell was referring to. Again, thanks for your response!



M.

[Cricket123]

Hi Again --

I've been looking once more at Orwell and I don't think he's so much quoting as paraphrasing. If that were the case, I'm almost certain he's referring to Chesterton.

Chesterton wrote quite a bit on Socialism and Utopian ideals. You might try "The Ideal Of The Leisure State" or parts of "Utopia of Usurers" to find something similar to what you're looking for, in sentiment if not in those precise words.

Orwell clearly was aware of Chesterton's writing as he refers to him directly in "Notes On Nationalism." Perhaps Orwell was taking a longer view of what is "recent"?

I hope some of this is useful to you. I stumbled on this thread from another search and couldn't resist. Both Orwell and Chesterton are among my favorites. Happy reading.

Cricket