Pie in the sky by and by

The phrase “pie in the sky by and by” comes from a socialist song of the late 19th century. It was further recorded during the ‘folk’ and ‘protest’ song wave of the 1950s and 60s. Originally its main thrust was to brush aside religious promises of paradise after death and focus instead on earthly hardship. By the mid 20th century it was used to attack on capitalism and related political principles more generally.

Although never intended as a critique of Utopianism, the song’s scepticism applies equally to political ideologies which offer paradise on earth in return for ‘struggle’. Naturally the song’s composer could not foresee the Bolshevik revolution, nor the brutality of the Stalin regime. Nor could he have foreseen the enthusiastic imitations of Stalinism in satellite countries and in Asia.

Descriptions of paradise, visions of earthly utopias, statements of ideological theory or principle have much in common. Apart from anything else they are all highly selective in what they criticise or the ends they seek to achieve. Human beings and their societies are nothing if not highly complex. As a result proponents of one vision or another have to be selective to avoid confusing their audience.

Complexity is the enemy of radicalism not only when building popular support but also when putting power to use. Problems of implementation have to be overcome by making the ends justify the means. Anyone who disputes the means by the same token disputes the ends and thus opposes the new regime.

Disputes can only be avoided when everyone thinks alike, hence radical regimes try to control thought itself. Zamyatin’s novel ‘We’, Huxley’s ‘Brave new world’ and Orwells’s ‘1984’ all explore the comprehensive destruction of individuality which results from efforts to control thought and deed alike.

In the end, political utopia amounts to nothing more than another piece of pie in the sky.