h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Though I like you definition of dystopia and greatly enjoyed the article, I feel that there was a little left out. I have defined dystopia as a society that appears perfect from the inside, but clearly isn't when viewed from outside. This is an extremely obvious concept in the case of John in "Brave New World" and is not as obvious, but can be seen in 1984 as well. The only way that the problems were visible were when Winston steps out and sees the society objectively. Also someone who is continously overlooked for creating dystopic societies is Ayn Rand. . .especially in "Atlas Shrugged". Great article. . .really enjoyed it!!
~Psycho

We're studying 'a handmaids tale' at A level, (in fact i should be writing coursework on it right now) and my teacher gave the definition a a dystopia as a utopia that has gone wrong. Whilst this doesn't contradict the definition in the article, or the definition given by phyco42, it goes somewhat further in my mind, to understanding what it's all about. I haven't read 1984, or any other dystopic novels, but In the handmaids tale, Attwood presents a society in which the general principles seem fairly well meaning; women are to be respected, and babies are precious, the problem is that the way they deal with these ideas turns them completely on their heads, the idea was good, but it's gone wrong somewhere along the line, so that they have killed off many other prnciples, and in the end contradicted the intended, in oreder to reach some percieved goal that has lost all meaning.

Another classic in this line is 'Farenheit 451' A society that has outlawed printed books so it can control what people think.
In that book however an underground movement exists outside of the government's control to counteract that premise.