Nueva Australia: A Socialist's Utopia Gone Bad

Asuncion Expat Meetings: EXPAT LUNCH: Sunday, May 20, 2012 EXPAT DINNER: Thursday, SOON These meetings are organized in the same style as our Montevideo meetings which have been going on for 6-1/2 years.

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Nueva Australia: A Socialist's Utopia Gone Bad

In one way or another, we all have versions of what utopia is like. This is based on our own life ideals, dreams, and aspirations. For some people, utopia is a place where there are no rich and poor people; everyone is capable of having whatever it is that he/she dreams. For others, utopia is a religious community composed of people whose entire existence is devoted to the richness of their god (or gods).

Despite having our own versions of utopia, very few of us ever come to make that dream a reality. We still mostly live with the status quo, with very few people making active attempts in shaking society as we know it or going elsewhere with like-minded people who can live out that utopian dream.

Thus, even though it turned out as a failure, I admire the efforts of disgruntled Australians who moved to Paraguay in order to live out their utopia of a socialistic community. It was the year 1892, when the New Australia Movement, led by William Lane, went on to Paraguay in order to establish Nueva Australia (New Australia) located in rural Paraguay.

Australia is no stranger to immigrants as Australia’s history as a nation started with immigrants from England. At that time, it was Australia’s turn to be a source of immigrants and Paraguay was chosen to become their destination. 238 adults and children were recruited, inspired by the promise of a socialistic utopia.

Safe to say, the experiment was a failure as conflicts arose and began to disintegrate Nueva Australia. There were questions about the prohibition of alcohol, relations with the locals, and even Lane’s leadership. Eventually, the commune disintegrated into smaller communes, with the concept of this socialistic community dissolved and Paraguay handed out the land to each of the owners. Today, there are still descendants of the original settlers living in this rather poor town, but most of them are already unaware of the troubled fate their ancestors led.

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Tags: • ancestors • leadership • conflicts • experiment • destination • history • immigrants • society • reality • community • dreams • australia • poor town • utopian dream • status quo •

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