Communism in Thomas More’s Utopia and consumerism in Julian Barnes

England, England.

There are many different types of economic systems used throughout the world. The most

dominant regimes are capitalism, communism, and consumerism. This chapter is a

comparison between communism in Thomas More’s Utopia and consumerism in Julian

Barnes England, England. The chapter is opened with the concept of communism as a

response to capitalism, and then moving to the historical background about the rise of New

Gentry and the Dissolution of Monasteries during the reign of Henry the Vlll. Afterward, we

explain the idea of communism in Utopia and How Thomas More find it an ideal economic

system in utopia, dealing with the economical discourse of Utopia. The second part of this

chapter opened with the economic history of Britain in 20th century moving to the concepts

of post-tourism and consumerism in Julian Barnes England, England and their historical

background.

A-Communism as a response to capitalism

1
Communism versus Capitalism is a fight between two extraordinary ifinancial hypotheses.

They are speculations that speak to two intrinsically inverse perspectives. One is incredibly

individualistic (Capitalism), while the other one (Communism) has confidence in putting the

general public before self. The socialism versus private enterprise conflict enraptured the

world during the cold war.

Communism is a utopian political system of economics in which a society is reorganized

without hierarchy, state, money or class. The 'means of production' are communally shared

and private property is either inexistent or severely restricted. On this, A Communist

1
https://www.history.com/topics/russia/communism-timeline
Manifesto in 1848, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published a seminal political pamphlet.

New adherents to Communism say that this has not occurred yet, although their opponents

cite Maoist China, Stalin's Soviet Union, the Cold War and many other historical crises as a

symbol to their risk.

Communism emerged as a response to capitalism. However, 2Marx claimed the communist

economic system would replace capitalism. Communism is based on principles designed to

correct the problems caused by capitalism. The most important principle of communism is

that private property ownership should not be permitted. Marx believed that private

ownership promoted greed and empowered men, no matter what the costs, to knock out

the competition. Land should be shared and eventually people should be running the

economy. For the interest of the people the government will exert power, at least in the

transition between capitalism and communism. The aim is to get rid of the gap between the

social classes.

B- The RISE OF NEW GENTERY UNDER HENRY THE EIGHT.

The second king of the Tudor family was Henry VIII. He inherited the throne after the death

of his father Henry the VII , and ruled England between 1509 and 1547. He was considered

as an ambitious king because he was always looking for fortune and wealth for his kingdom,

and he also want to expand his naval fleet and its forces. Hence, he also waged a number of

wars with France and Scotland notably.

Under the role of Henry Scotland was worried because of their common borders. Overtime,

England and Scotland saw a tremendous military war in Braxton during 1513. This war was

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%20should%20be%20allowed.
known by as Flodden‘s battle. As Henry VIII invaded France the war broke out and scots

attacked the North.in addition to this, Henry had also taken part in the Italian war.

The war continued until 1521and 1526. It was proclaimed in 1519 over Charles v‘s election

as emperor and LEOx‘s ally against Martin Luther with Charles V . In Western Europe, the

war was declared against Charles V and Henry VIII by Francis of France. This ambitious king

waged also conflicts in the Netherlands against the Gaelic lords of Ireland. In fact all those

wars cost a lot “2 million pounds, 1.3 million from currency debasement, 430,000 from

higher taxes, and 110,000 from forced loans along with 160,000 from existing taxes.” And

aside those battles, he spent a lot of money on his celebrations, gifts Christmas days and

entertainment, and all this unconscious deeds from the kig led to the royal treasury ‘S

bankruptcy. For Henry the solution of restoring his treasury was to track the Monasteries

wealth.

B-THE ACT OF DISSOLUTION AND ITS IMPACTS ON ENGLISH SOCIETY

When Henry VIII took the throne there were approximately 850Monastic institutions of

different size in England. It included over 500 monasteries, 136 nunneries 200friaries,

thousand chantries, in addition to several minor religious establishments. These monasteries

were not only places for prayer worship, they were also places of education, agriculture,

refuge for the poor, widow and orphans. It provided them with free food and charity

.Moreover, henry asked his chief minister, Thomas Cromwell, to visit all of the cloisters with

the intention of encouraging them to submit to the king’s authority and abandon their

inappropriate lifestyles leading to the dissolution of monasteries in 1540.his first goal form

this was to find another source of money that was consumed by costly military expedition

and to support his government or his military ambitions. The removal of these wealthy and
powerful institutions has huge impacts on both economy and society .since they have a lot

of money their dissolution created a financial gap that required some solutions

.furthermore, the lands and the incomes provided by these monasteries was passed to

secular landowners where wealth simply goes to secular landlords instead of Monks. The

monasteries as it is mentioned before were a center of charity for the poor, but the new

landlords were not interested with them .thus this loss of charity increased the numbers of

beggars and led to the rise of social instability in the country. In this respect, many people

revolted against the confiscation of convents in October 1536.this revolt was known as the

pilgrimage of grace in which the rebels demanded the king ‘s clemency to reopen the

confiscated lands and to give back its wealth to their owners . They also criticized Thomas

Cromwell policies of high taxation and forced enclosures which increased poverty in

northern England. Later on, the king promised that he would fulfill all of their demands and

that he would pardon all rebels who dispersed. The rebels therefore dispersed, but Henry

broke his word and declared the Martial Law where many leaders and rebels were executed.

E-communism in Thomas more Utopia

Because of the Act of Dissolution, many Catholics started to defend Catholicism in their

works like Saint Thomas More who was against the confiscation of Monasteries and also

against the gentry’s oppression in England. In his famous work Utopia, he criticized the social

life under the Tudor’s control. Thus, as an alternative to all social illnesses he proposed an

ideal economic system called communism which is an economic ideology that stands as an

opposition to liberal democracy and capitalism; and calls for classless system in which the

means of production are owned communally and the private property is eliminated. the

concept of communism was later on developed by the German philosopher Karl Marx which,
according to him capitalism caused social inequality and suffering, because under capitalism,

private businessmen and companies own all factories, tools and other resources called the

means of production .For him ,these possessors can exploit the working class who are forced

to work for wages .In his view, the proletariat must stand against the bourgeoisie and

establish a new society with a new private property and no profits . This Marxist views can

be absolutely found in the utopian society. The utopians live together in their Island. This

island contains cities that are similar to each other:” There are fifty-four cities in the island,

all large and well built, the manners, customs, and laws of which are the same, and they are

all contrived as near in the same manner as the ground on which they stand will allow. The

nearest lie at least twenty-four miles distance from one another, and the most remote are

not so far distant but that a man can go on foot in one day from it to that which lies next it”

9UTOPIA P 54. Therefore, each city is encompassed by a land used for farming, and every

number of each city spends two years in the countryside doing agriculture. In the time of

harvest the other additional men will be stand for help. Moreover, the utopians believe the

land is something to be worked rather than to be owned. From this agrarian system, More

attacked the movement of enclosures in Britain That changed the wool and agricultural

Market into an oligopoly which raised the prices and forbid small landowners of their wages.

For the trade and economy the utopians focused on the equal distribution of goods in the

Island. They produce a plenty of goods and products for the needs of the nation and any

deficiency in one area is provided for complementary by another that is well supplied. In

addition to this, the utopians own stocks of food reserved for hard times:“they have thus

taken care of their own country and, laid up stores for two years”. (93)Therefore, in their

Markets all goods are free where the father takes all what is needed for his family. There is

no reason for detention because there is an abundance of goods that must be obtained as
desired. Moreover, in utopia silver or gold is owned by the state to prevent its distribution

among the citizens. So, those Metals are used to fashion slaves and for their chamber pot:

“they eat and drink out of vessels of earth or glass, which make an agreeable appearance

through formed of brittle materials; while they make chamber-pots and close-stools of gold

and silver” (96). In utopia money and privatization is abolished from utopians way of life,

consequently, equality and justice is successfully achieved.

In his mythical Island Thomas More criticized the capitalist doctrine in his social milieu.

Throughout his legend he creates an economic system where people live in an idealized

communism. Nobody receives wages or rewards for his labor; instead they receive housing,

free food clothing and all necessary supplies. Finally, each citizen has a voice in the

government and everyone is on equal footing.

F-The Discourse in Utopia: The economy

Utopians ensure that they will create a bounty of products and arrangements for the

requirements of the entire country, and any lack in one district isprovided without charge by

another that is all around supplied. They further orchestrate to store adequate overflow to

supply the nation for a long time, as an insurance against a yield disappointment. Any stocks

beyond those necessities are exchanged abroad. Since the Utopians are basically

independent, they need no imports with the exception of iron; thus, the vast majority of

what they boat to different nations is traded for gold and silver, to be utilized distinctly in

the midst of war, mostly for recruiting soldiers of fortune. The Utopians have not just

dispensed with money from their economy; they have conceived mental techniques to make

their people learn to loathe those valuable metals that are utilized for money in different

countries. In remarking on this section, Hythloday takes note of a portion of the absurdities
in perspectives found in nations where certain individuals are respected, nearly loved, in

light of the fact that they have an enormous store of gold, despite the fact that they might

be inadequately invested with judgment or liberality.

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The first Industrial Revolution and the Creation of a New Global Human Era

The industrial production has begun first in England during the 18th and early 19th century.

In this period Britain knew massive socio-economic changes known as the Industrial Revolution

which can be defined as “the process of change from an agrarian and handicraft economy to one

dominated by industry and machine manufacturing”1. According to the R. M. Hartwell, the IR is,

“The sustained increase in the rate of growth of total and per capita output as a rate which was

revolutionary compared with what went before.” the IR is known as the sustained but the very

slow economic growth in the UK. For his point of view, England had expanded their import and

export Markets to finance factories and machinery through capitalism. He also thought that, the IR

had made England the world‘s richest nation in the eightieth and ninetieth centuries for several

reasons. The first reason can be found in economy which was improved because of the new

innovations. Since the IR many forms of business had developed. There were many technological

developments at that time. For example Cort ‘s method of pudding and rolling to produce iron ,

Crompton ‘s cotton mule and Watt steam engine were invented ,and this inventions increased the

total factor of productivity . Moreover, textile in Britain lead to a sustainable development forty

percent of the world‘s cotton production was produced within 30 miles of Manchester in 1900. In

fact, textile industry of Britain dressed the world specially the colonized countries.

For agriculture farmers started to use new technologies such as seed drill and the Iron –

containing Dutch plough and the trashing machine. JethhoTull , English agricultural inventor ,

invented the seed drill in 1701leading to the British Agricultural Revolution . Furthermore, English

farmers have used more productive seeds and their harvest methods were improved. They grew

rotating crops Such as wheat, clover and barley. In this respect, English farming was characterized
by high levels of output per worker.

In Brief, the economy of England in about 1750 and 1760 was changed .the human and

animal technology was transformed into Machinery for example, spinning jenny, coke smelting

steam engine, iron pudding and rolling and so on. Those machines produced a good quality of

products in a short time and also they raised the process of production and consumption in the

country. In addition to this, banking and other financial structure have strengthened through the

smooth running of companies and business firms.

Britain’s economy in the 20th century and the welfare state

In the second half of twentieth century Britain transformed from an economy centered on

manufacturing production to one based on services. This transition created a massive disruption

especially when the Victorian industries such as coal, mining, steel manufactures and shipbuilding

were abandoned, and the communities where this industries had existed were economically

affected leading to a number of social illnesses in the country. In addition to this, the majority of

modern manufacturing sectors also collapsed to the point where its contribution to the national

economy was marginalized. For example, car manufacturing in England‘s West Midlands, which

once was considered as a success, has shrunk to virtually nothing. Thus, individuals turned to

wrongdoing and this cost the government and the economy more money.

Before the Second World War, Britain’s welfare state, such as payments to help the wiped-out was

overwhelming given by private volunteer foundation. However, an adjustment in standpoint

during the war permitted Britain to build a “Welfare State” after the war: The government came

up with an extensive welfare system in order to help all people in need and support them.

Throughout the 20th century, Britain had brought its new welfare state into practice. However, the

chronicle of social welfare in Britain did not start in the 20 th century: social organizations and

various governments had spent decades finding solutions to social issues; health, poverty, and
unemployment. Then, after the Second World War the incoming Labor government introduced

the welfare state, in which it applied recommendations from the pioneering civil servant Sir

William Beveridge and aimed to wipe out poverty and hardship in society.

By the end of the Second World War Britain elected a new government and the battling of the

labor government brought them into power- Beveridge was vanquished. All the fundamental

parties were supportive of the changes, and as labor had battled for them and advanced them

simply as a compensation for the war exertion, a set of acts and laws were passed to organize

them. These incorporated the National Insurance Act in 1945, making obligatory commitments

from representatives and alleviations for joblessness, death, and retirement; The Family

Allowances act giving payments to families; The Industrial Injuries act of 1946 giving a lift to

individuals who had work accidents; The National Assistance act in 1948 to help people in need.

The post war welfare state was not forced; it was largely welcomed and accepted by a nation that

had always looked for it after the Second World War. It continued to evolve overtime, but it failed

on preventing the growth of inequality. The introduction of welfare state by John Maynard Keynes

and Sir Beveridge could not put the economy on the right path. Beveridge’s social plan foresaw full

work and recommended that the individuals who could not work in retirement, illness, or other

authentic reasons ought to get a basic least pay. This would bring least security for everything

except equality. The post war welfare state succeeded in the sense that it has helped in solving an

amount of serious social problems, but some welfare state settings and their financing, have

additionally made new problem issues, including advantage reliance and other motivating force

impacts.

The British national debt after the Second World War

During the Second World War the government was obliged to borrow money from the other

countries and the International Monetary Funds, in order to finance war with powers of the Axis.

By the dying days of the war, Britain’s debts exceeded 200 percent of GDP, the same as what

happened after the Napoleonic wars has ended. As during the First World War, the United States

once again gave the significant source of funds, by means of low-interest credits, in addition to the

Lend Lease Act. Indeed, even toward the end of the war Britain required American financial

helping hand. In 1945, Briatin took a credit for $586million (about £145 million at 1945 exchange

rates), and $3, 7 billion credit extension. The loans were to be paid off in 50 yearly

reimbursements beginning in 1950. A portion of these debts were just paid off in the mid 21 st

century.

Ending the Second World War, Britain had gathered a massive debt of £21 billion. It was mainly

controlled by foreigners, with around £3,4 billion being abroad ( mostly to lenders in the United

States ), an entirely which is similarly about 33% of yearly GDP.

“After the war the debt gradually fell as a proportion of GDP, but in 1976 the British Government

led by James Callaghan faced a Sterling crisis during which the value of the pound tumbled and the

government found it difficult to raise sufficient funds to maintain its spending commitments. The

Prime Minister was forced to apply to the International Monetary Fund for a £2.3 billion rescue

package; the largest-ever call on IMF resources up to that point.[11] In November 1976 the IMF

announced its conditions for a loan, including deep cuts in public expenditure, in effect taking

control of UK domestic policy.[12] The crisis was depicted by the right-wing press as a national

humiliation, with Chancellor Denis Healey being forced to go "cap in hand" to the IMF.”

The chart below represents the UK national debt:

UK national debt peaked in the late 1940s at over 230% of GDP. From the early 1950s to early

1990s, we see a consistent decrease in the debt to GDP ratio. Using the above measure of national

debt, UK debt as a % of GDP reached a low of 32% in 1993. At the start of the global credit crunch

in 2007, public sector debt was 38% of GDP.

The main reason UK debt to GDP fell in the post-war period was the sustained period of economic

growth and near full employment until the late 1970s. This growth saw rising real incomes which in

turn led to higher tax revenues and falling debt to GDP ratios.

The transition of England from industrial nation to a service based nation

In the half of twentieth century Britain transformed from an economy centered on

manufacturing production to one based on services. This transition created a massive disruption
especially when the Victorian industries such as coal, mining, steel manufactures and shipbuilding

were abandoned, and the communities where this industries had existed were economically affected

leading to a number of social illnesses in the country. In addition to this, the majority of modern

manufacturing sectors also collapsed to the point where its contribution to the national economy

was marginalized. For example, car manufacturing in England‘s West Midlands, which once was

considered as a success, has shrunk to virtually nothing.

Contemporary with this shift towards a service economy there was a rapid growth in tourism

sector. Tourism was what the Britons once did when they did not work for industry for a couple of

weeks a year “They journeyed by train to the seaside or took one of Thomas Cook’s splendid tours

to the Continent. « After the introduction of the jet engine to commercial air transport in the 1960s

they began to travel en masse to the beaches of the Mediterranean, the essential nature of tourism,

however, remained the same: it was something on which Britons spent rather than earned their

money  ».This picture had started to change in 1970 . Tourism which had previously been disdained

by governments as hardly worthy of the British workers has grown in economic significance.  

For many economies in the world, tourism is now important and Britain is no exception to

this phenomenon. British tourist revenue has increased rapidly since the 1970s and is now worth

around £75 billion (2002-03).5Of that total figure; around £60 billion is spending by domestic

tourists, amongst whom 73 per cent make trips within Britain by car. Over 2 million jobs in Britain

(about 8 percent of total employment in the British economy) are directly or indirectly attributable

to tourism.6but tourism certainly provides significant economic benefits. Visitors are inclined to big

spenders themselves, and attraction managers invest substantial amounts of money in local tourist

destination economies. This investment decreases local unemployment as tourism related

companies recruit staff made redundant by de-industrialization. There is definitely concern about

the social and environmental effects of tourism on local communities , but politicians generally

remain sanguine ; tourists take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints’ is a common

motto for those who believe that tourism is the salvation of regions in economic decline.7
Post tourism in Julian Barnes England; England

“And now, if I might make so bold with a phrase, it is a bungaloid dystopia where you can’t even

get a decent of cappuccino.” (Julian Barnes, “England, England”, 1998, P83)

The novel “England, England” attempts to give a miniature of England in the form of a

theme park on the Isle of Wright. In the second section of the book, a business man, Sir Jack

Pitman, plans to transform the Isle into a large theme park that motivates England to attract and

to have millions of tourists. The project is named “England, England”, it was profoundly practical,

vainglorious and swarmed, mosaic of England’s most popular buildings and people, therefore, the

theme park becomes hugely popular. “Once upon a time this used to be the Isle of Wight, but its

current inhabitants prefer a simpler and grander title: they call it The Island. Its oɽcial address since

declaring independence two years ago is typical of Sir Jack Pitman’s roguish, buccaneering style.

He named it England, England.’’(Barnes ;118)

In “old England” people used to rely on an agricultural economy with a weak mass

production, whereas, “New England” that is named “England, England” becomes an autonomous

state and joins the European Union after going through a great passage shifting from an industrial

nation to a service nation depending on the tourism project which is evident in quote below:

“Apart from boat building, the main industry used to be smuggling. And wrecking. Nowadays, it’s

tourism. Not a top-dollar destination, as you might have inferred.” (Julian Barnes, “England,

England”1998, P82)

This represents the transition of Great Britain from industrial nation to a service nation in the

second half of twentieth century which is definitely depicted in Barnes novel England, England.

Barnes reflects England‘s economy as service based through the theme park on the Isle of Wight.

This park is an idea created by sir jack pitman. He is an entrepreneur who has a very ambitious and
fantastic project in mind. In this project he wants to include everything thought of as- English by

the population and tourists. These include famous British people, landmark buildings and sites,

character traits among others. Moreover, sir pitman is not only building England, England for his

ambition, but also he is doing it for consumer satisfaction and for financial benefits .For this reason

it can be seen as a capitalist tourism project.

Before of the realization of the project pitman uses a survey when designing the project,

and then he asks people what England means for them. Later on, based on the responses on these

surveys, pitman chooses the elements that should be included in his project including: ROYAL

FAMILY,BIG BEN/HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT,MANCHESTER UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB,A

ROBIN IN THE SNOW,ROBIN HOOD AND HIS MERRIE MEN,IMPERIALISM and many other

suggestions. For him, asking customers is a reasonable decision; this project must represent these

customers, and taking the customers opinion is a good move, because customer satisfaction

comes first. In this way, he could attract more visitors, and they will have just what they have

always wanted to see in this park. This would be a mirror that represents their vision of England. It

is here where the financial gain rests, and for that reason the economy of England, England

surpasses England‘s economy and tourism. It is actually the choice that gives customers exactly

what they want. Sir Pitman perhaps sees this potential for business and manipulated it with

mastery just like twentieth century capitalists entrepreneur who wanted to show the visitors of

Britain what they want them to see in order to make money. Pitman joins tourism market by

seeing a gap in it, and through knowing the demands of his visitors. He gave them what they want

and this can be proven by a word of a visitor: “From now on, only those with an active love of

discomfort or necrophilia taste for the antique need venture there. [Old England] The best of all

that England was, and is, can be safely and conveniently experienced on this spectacular and well-

equipped diamond of an Island’’. (Barnes121)

To insure the success of his project pitman and the tourism department knew that the Royal Family

was the top crash cop in the country. The negotiation team of Sir Jack tried to emphasize how the

transfer of the palace to the Island would create both financial benefit and a batter leisure time for

the family. Pitman convinced the Royal Family that in the Island there would be a complete

modernized Buckingham palace plus, there would be no criticism or intervention, only adulation

and libitum organized. The family would have no taxes and the privacy purse would be replaced by

a system of CO-sharing. In fact, he insured the transition of the palace into his Land for his benefit

and to attract more visitors, because many people prefer to see the Royal Family as in our time

(Barnes 97). When the theme is finally established and as Pitman had planned the palace was

transferred and many tourists were eager to see the Royal family. Moreover, there was many sites

and building that could be visited in Island like the Stonehenge and Hathaway‘s cottage. They could

also take a ploughman‘s break at the top Dover‘s white cliffs and spend a leisurely afternoon at the

Harrods emporium inside London Tower. Furthermore, the visitors can walk through a perfectly

recreated street of typical pre-Island housing in In Bungalow Valleywhere they will be able to be

gathered in front of gardens where rockeries drip with aubretiaand families of plaster ‘ gnomes’

(dwarf statues) congregate. In this valley. The tourists prepaid for their vacation, immigration

officers examine the travelers not for their passport or vaccination stamps only but also for credit

worthiness. In other words, the government makes sure that these tourists could pay and for those

who their credit rating is not sufficient, they will be sent back on the first airplane to their lands

(Barnes 118) in this respect, Buckingham palace, Bungalow Valley and all other creations in the

island are sources of attraction to the tourists and for that reason visitors started to prefer the replica

over the original. In brief, Tourism culture in England, England

project provides leisure activities as their service. One of the main goals of England, England

project is to satiate visitors around the world, “We want our Visitors to feel that they have passed

through a mirror, that they have left their own worlds and entered a new one...”(Barnes, 2012:

120) The project is focused on tourism marketing, product development and infrastructure for
people in England, England. The Social Dominant Visitors and employees demonstrate services

based activities in England, England project. However, the role of the employees is scripted for

entertaining visitors, so conventional free-flowing conversation is limited the project is focused on

tourism marketing, product development and infrastructure for people in England, England.

In fact, the idea of buying the Isle of Wight and turning it into replica of real Britain of mass

tourism objectives is precisely a criticism of Cool Britannica and its market values and this can be

proven in the quote below: Additionally, this artificial construction of identity and history is not

only institutionalized by the government or society leaders like Pitman, but also by the influence of

national identity on the tourist market. Both Blair’s Britain and Pitman’s “England, England”

embody the exploitation of a marketable nation. On the one hand, Blair’s Cool Britannia was

utilized to activate a young consumerist society (Osgerby 2005:127) but it also intended to attract

international tourism, promoting a new and modern image of the country. Likewise, in the novel,

Pitman’s theme park expects to profit from national identity in order to captivate tourists and

increase his personal income. As mentioned in the novel, The Island turns out to be “a pure market

state” (Barnes 2008:183) where perfect capitalism resembles the business industry of the late

nineties ;( document playing with collective memories) .Cool Britannica

Was considered as rebranding of brutishness that is to say nationalism for export and this is

argued by Ken Urban who stated that “New Labor looked at England as a brand, as a commodity,

to be marketed and managed’474. Barnes criticized this approach through parody. For him Britain

becomes a commodity to be marked and managed, and the entertaining Theme Park on the Isle of

Wight is nothing more than Britain‘s real transformation into a commodity and its flag, the Union

Jack, a corporate logo.as the pitman company looks for logo for its new England it is all recognized

revisions and common quite steals of familiar symbol. It is a clear criticism of the use of the union

jack as a cool Britannica corporate mark .in England , England cool Britannica‘s parodic critique is
an excuse for formulating broader critique of neoliberalism and post modernity. In Barnes novel,

the island is the quintessence of free market and libertarianism business paradigm of New Right

which is regularly visited by bankers and IMF leaders and corporate chief executives for evaluating

the functioning system:Richard Poborsky, analyst for the United Bank of Switzerland, told the

Wall Street Journal: ‘I think this development is very exciting. It’s a pure market

state. There’s no interference from government because there is no government. So there’s no

foreign or domestic policy, only economic policy. It’s a pure interface between buyers and sellers

without the market being skewed by central government with its complex agenda and election

promises477.here is the neoliberal ideal of the the free market , removing restrictions of any state

activity and controlling it at all . the Island , the place where the neoliberal ideals becomes a reality ,

is an evident reference to Britain where the conservative government’s first and new labors ones

subsequently implemented neoliberal policies and changing the country in a way where business

comes first than the people .Actually , wealthy tourists travel comfortably on the Island bankers

while island ‘s residents (people employed by pitman in order to behave like the British historical

characters ) are nothing but ‘low cost labor’ as pitman puts it . Clearly this a parodic form of

criticism of the idea of nation in which companies enjoys citizenship rights and ordinary citizens are

servants.

f- Consumerism in Julian Barnes England, England

Julian Barnes novel “England, England” portrays a determinedly negative picture of England’s

80s, demonstrating Thatcher’s innovative capitalism as a power transforming the country into a

variety of market-accommodating items to be purchased or sold.

Postmodern components of satire and general mimicry are productive, used to give an

entertaining yet distressing standpoint of England's legacy industry. This is the point at which we

meet Sir Jack Pitman, a business big shot who is out to make truckloads of money by selling

'English' heritage to anyone who has the cash to pay for it. Pitman's recommendations to

construct an amusement park of "Englishness" — fit for its 21st century shoppers — are just made

progressively silly by his aims to utilize the Isle of Wight, completely, as the canvas to do so.

Through such super lucrative plans, Barnes welcomes us as his readers to truly investigate the

effects of consumerism. While it appears that Sir Jack's arrangement is an instance of promoting

gone-distraught, it is Barnes' goal to make the reader awkward as they recognize that monetarily,

the project is really an immense achievement. The simplicity with which parliament and the

monarchy are purchased by the project is a telling evaluate of our country's nonentities; capital

controls all, as any equitable impact they once had is supplanted by the plans of ravenous

engineers and scheming business investors. In any case, everything isn't settled, and we frequently

observe the novel take a descending winding when the appreciative representatives, or, occupants

of Isle of Wight, become very acquainted with their new job.

“In the modern world, stability and longterm economic prosperity are provided more effectively

by transnational corporation than by the old style nation state.” (Barnes 125)

The project is a fruitful recreation of England as well as of a real country. For instance, the

island has its own laws, policies and currency, however, it contributes to international

participations ( EEC, world bank, IMF). It is highly important to mention that the amusement park

called ‘England, England’ sprouts into a welfare state based on Keynesianism , whereas, old

England decays into a pre-industrial country. The project simulation is attractive and enjoyable to

the point that “the world began to forget that ‘England’ had ever meant anything except “England,

England” (Barnes255)
Keynesian economics was developed by the British economist John Maynard Keynes during the

1930s in an attempt to understand the Great Depression. Keynes advocated increased government

expenditures and lower taxes to stimulate demand and pull the global economy out of the

Depression. Subsequently, the term “Keynesian economics” was used to refer to the concept that

optimal economic performance could be achieved – and economic slumps prevented – by

influencing aggregate demand through activist stabilization and economic intervention policies by

the government.

This project takes away our attention from the social troubles and issues, thus, it becomes

a response to the consumerist solicitation of postmodern world in which the living standards

raised. The essential factor in the increasing of living standards was the accessibility of credit,

people were provided by fund companies that empower them to acquire huge sums of money

more than what they could have by saving. With the credit reimbursement, a relatively modest

quantity every month, individuals had the option to purchase things they already couldn’t have

managed. Thus, the availability of loaning empowered consumers to purchase a phenomenal

scope of made merchandise. Then, “a consumer boom began”.

“Pitco’s transnational standing had persuaded the banks and the funds to pour in capital; but it

had been a moment of inspiration – at times, how the financial imagination resembled that of the

artist! – To secretly loan such monies (the word always sounded luscious to Sir Jack in its plural

form) to one of his own subsidiaries in the Bahamas. Naturally, this meant that the first charge on

any revenue would be Pitco’s management fees back home.” ( Barnes )

Then there was a question of what should happen immediately after independence.

Suppose the new island parliament-flying in the face, as it had every right to do, of sir Jack’s public

counsel- decided on a policy of nationalization. Bad news indeed for the banks and stockholders:

but what could they do? …… - Sir Jack might be obliged to exercise his emergency powers as a
governor…. Of course, he would promise to repay creditors. In due course. At some percentage.

After a great deal of debt-restructuring.” ( Barnes 88)

Julian Barnes depicts in his novel those economic changes and aspects through the created

theme park in the Isle of Wight governed by the character Sir Jack Pitman. However, the theme

park is based on a welfare state including the aspect of crediting, social insurance, the satisfaction

of visitors. However, Jerry Batson, a consultant to the elect points out that England strength lies

on its old age and great history. And here Sir Jack exposes his guiding idea since, it is simple, since

England has nothing except its past, the,, the product(England past) should be effectively well

placed and sold to other nations as their future. The tourists start coming from all over the world

and visit the amusement park which is a miniature of England’s great old age, Englishness,

geographical sites, and cultural symbols. The second part of the novel announces the aspect of

enslavement to consumerism. England England becomes a pure market state ( Barnes187), with all

its components from immigration laws to justice and health-made to congruent with economic

imperatives. And finally, The theme park replaced the original England with the main land

depopulation due to economic motives.

Within the created island of Julian Barnes the consumer society becomes a commodity and

a product that can be bought or consumed – even the history of the country. The idea of history as

a product can be found in Sir Jack pitman project. This man sees the history of his country as a

commerce opportunity and a good product to be sold. For this reason, he and his group

transformed the past and the cultural heritage of the original England into a consumer amusement

and also into productive money –making machine, through his perfect theme park of Wight which

is designed specifically to attract the visitors. The island contains everything that individuals or

visitors consider it to be quintessentially English, and in this way the theme becomes a replica of
England‘s famous buildings, figures and sites.

In the novel England represents the reality and the artificially created theme park

exemplified the fiction. In the story people prefers the replica over the original, because it is the

most appropriate option for a consumer society. In the island everything is accessible,

comfortable, and attractive consequently it meets the needs of consumer tourists. Through this

idea Barnes depicted the contemporary consumer society that prefers the imitation rather than

the original. For him this tendency can be harmless but it has a negative effect towards the original

that becomes insignificant and loses its value and meaning.

To conclude, Thomas More creates a society which is based on equality, collaboration,

optimism and common property where Utopians live commonly and share their property together

in order to reach the best state of commonwealth. Through Utopia More shows his dissatisfaction

and opposition to the economic system imposed in the time in which he lived. As result, he offers

an ideal economic system far from discrimination and materialism. In the other hands, Julian

Barnes creates a dystopian world in which consumerism become a commodity where people

prefer the illusion over the reality. This tendency grew over and over especially, when the actors

appointed by Sir Jack finally repress their identity and prefer to live the lives of the characters that

they use to play. Moreover, mass tourism encourages the visitors to spend more time in the park

rather than in England and this consumerist inclinations deeply affected the original country, and

lead to its social, political and cultural decline.

Later on we fix the citation