Let's set the scene. It's 1888 in Austria-Hungary. The world is changing fast with industry and new political ideas. Josef von Neupauer, a writer concerned about the growing socialist movement, decides to write a novel. But instead of writing about his own time, he makes a bold leap: he sets his story in the distant future of 2020.

The Story

The novel paints a picture of an Austria transformed by over a century of socialist policies. Neupauer imagines a society where the state controls almost everything. We follow characters navigating this new world—some who champion the system, and others who struggle under its weight. The plot revolves around the social and political conflicts that arise. It's less about individual heroes and more about the clash of ideologies, showing the potential consequences of the political paths he saw being chosen in his own day.

Why You Should Read It

Reading this is a trip. The "futuristic" details are charmingly off-base, but the core anxieties feel familiar. It's amazing to see which human struggles he thought would be solved by 2020, and which he believed would only get worse. The book works as a mirror. It tells us more about the 1880s—its fears of revolution, its debates about community and individual rights—than it does about any real future. It’s a passionate, opinionated argument wrapped in a story.

Final Verdict

Perfect for history buffs, political science nerds, or anyone who loves a good "what-if" story. If you enjoy books like The Iron Heel by Jack London or Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy, you'll find a European cousin here. It’s not a light beach read, but for a curious mind, it’s a captivating look at how the past tried to dream up our present.