José M. Yebra

‘What hath God wrought’: Dystopia, Empathy and Revolution in Naomi Alderman’s The Future

Introduction

‘what hath god wrought’: dystopia, empathy and revolution in naomi alderman’s the future. Explore Naomi Alderman's 'The Future,' a feminist sci-fi dystopia analyzing societal collapse, the fight for empathy, and the potential for revolution amidst recurring systems of domination.

Abstract

. This article delves into Naomi Alderman’s The Future (2023), a sci-fi feminist dystopia that revisits and updates her previous novel, The Power (2017). Whereas in The Power, a cataclysm turns gender roles upside down, The Future goes further as it seemingly features the end of Western neo-liberalism and civilization. In the Capitalocene envisaged in The Future, there are still a few survivalists, i.e. nomad characters in a pluriversal scenario, who contest the new order (a continuation of its predecessor) and struggle for an ethical one based on a partnership model where empathy and a liberating revolution can replace a hierarchical and exterminist paradigm. Yet, this paper argues, this dystopia recalls Alderman’s previous fiction: it is at once parodic, devastating and especially cautionary because the system which intends to replace the current techno-dystopia can be easily corrupted. As the analysis of the novel shows, a dystopian regime is cyclically replaced by a similar one in the Capitalocene. To explore Alderman’s latest dystopia and its redeeming features, this essay considers Riane Eisler’s “dominator” and “partnership” models, Jeremy Rifkin’s conception of empathy, and Hannah Arendt’s idea of revolution.

Review

This article presents a timely and engaging analysis of Naomi Alderman’s latest novel, *The Future* (2023), positioning it as a significant evolution from her earlier work, *The Power* (2017). The author delves into *The Future*'s depiction of a post-Western neo-liberal, post-civilizational "Capitalocene" where a handful of survivalist nomads strive to establish an ethical, partnership-based society rooted in empathy and revolutionary ideals. The central argument of the paper contends that despite these aspirations for a liberating revolution, *The Future* functions primarily as a cautionary tale, demonstrating the inherent risk of new systems replicating the flaws and hierarchies of their predecessors, thus suggesting a cyclical pattern of dystopian regimes. To explore Alderman’s complex vision and its "redeeming features," the article employs a robust interdisciplinary theoretical framework. It draws upon Riane Eisler’s distinct "dominator" and "partnership" models to dissect power structures, Jeremy Rifkin’s conception of empathy to examine ethical foundations, and Hannah Arendt’s ideas on revolution to scrutinize transformative societal change. This theoretical triangulation promises a rich and nuanced interpretation of the novel, allowing the author to effectively argue that Alderman’s dystopia is at once parodic, devastating, and critically cautionary. The chosen methodology is well-suited to the abstract's stated aim of uncovering why a seemingly revolutionary system can still be "easily corrupted." The anticipated contribution of this paper lies in its critical engagement with contemporary dystopian fiction, offering a sophisticated reading of *The Future* that moves beyond surface-level interpretations of gender reversal or societal collapse. By emphasizing the novel’s warning against the cyclical nature of power and the fragility of ethical revolutions, the article provides valuable insights into Alderman’s ongoing critique of hierarchical and exterminist paradigms. This analysis has the potential to enrich discussions within literary studies, feminist theory, and political philosophy, particularly concerning the challenges of envisioning and enacting genuine, lasting societal transformation in the face of deep-seated systemic issues.

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