Have you ever tried to picture an ideal world?

One without war, poverty, or crime?

If so, you're not alone.

Plato imagined an enlightened republic, ruled by philosopher kings.

Many religions promise bliss in the afterlife.

And throughout history, various groups have tried to build a paradise on Earth.

Thomas More 's 1516 book, " Utopia," gave this concept a name.

Greek for " no place ".

Though the name suggested impossibility, modern scientific and political progress

raised hopes of these dreams finally becoming reality.

But time and time again they instead turned into nightmares of war, famine, and oppression.

And as artists began to question utopian thinking, the genre of dystopia, the " not good place ", was born.

One of the earliest dystopian works is Jonathan Swift 's " Gulliver 's Travels ".

Throughout his journey, Gulliver encounters fictional societies,

some of which at first seem impressive but turn out to be seriously flawed.

On the flying island of Laputa, scientists and social planners pursue extravagant and useless schemes,

while neglecting the practical needs of the people below.

And the Houyhnhnm who live in perfectly logical harmony,

have no tolerance for the imperfections of actual human beings.

With his novel, Swift established a blueprint for dystopia,

imagining a world where certain trends in contemporary society are taken to extremes,

exposing their underlying flaws.

And the next few centuries would provide plenty of material.

Industrial technology that promised to free laborers, imprisoned them in slums and factories instead.

While tycoons grew richer than kings.

By the late 1800 s, many feared where such conditions might lead.

H.G. Wells 's " The Time Machine " imagined upper classes and workers evolving into separate species,

while Jack London 's " The Iron Heel " portrayed a tyrannical oligarchy ruling over impoverished masses.

The new century brought more exciting and terrifying changes.

Medical advances made it possible to transcend biological limits,

while mass media allowed instant communication between leaders and the public.

In Aldous Huxley 's " Brave New World," citizens are genetically engineered

and conditioned to perform their social roles.

While propaganda and drugs keep the society happy, it's clear some crucial human element is lost.

But the best known dystopias were not imaginary at all.

As Europe suffered unprecedented industrial warfare, new political movements took power.

Some promised to erase all social distinctions while others sought to unite people around a mythical heritage.

The results were real world dystopias where life passed under the watchful eye of the state,

and death came with ruthless efficiency to any who didn't belong.