Dispossessed

The Dispossessed is a 1974 science fiction novel by Ursula K. Le Guin, part of her Hainish Cycle. It follows Shevek, a physicist from Anarres, a moon whose inhabitants live in an anarchist, collectivist society, and his attempt to bridge that world with the neighboring planet Urras, a wealthier and more hierarchical world.

The narrative alternates between life on Anarres and life on Urras, presenting two contrasting social orders. Anarres emphasizes communal ownership, mutual aid, and austerity, while Urras features economic stratification, political intrigue, and cultural diversity. Through this juxtaposition, the novel examines questions of freedom and obligation, the costs and limits of ideological purity, and the conditions under which science and knowledge can flourish or be stifled.

Plot overview: Shevek leaves Anarres for Urras to share his theory of time and to pursue broader scientific exchange. His experiences on Urras reveal both opportunities for intellectual collaboration and the repressive mechanisms of power, prompting him to reflect on the moral responsibilities of scientists and citizens in different social systems.

Themes: political philosophy, anarchism versus state authority, capitalism and inequality, gender and social norms, and the role of science in society. The work also engages with the idea of dispossession—the deprivation and barriers faced by people denied property, opportunity, or political voice—and how communities confront or endure such exclusions.

Publication and reception: published by Harper & Row in 1974, The Dispossessed is widely regarded as a landmark in speculative fiction. It has influenced discussions of political theory in literature and remains a central work in analyses of Le Guin’s oeuvre.