Desirous Societies

“It is probably the country where all goes well; for there must obviously be some such place. And whatever Professor Pangloss might say, I often noticed that all went badly in Westphalia.” (Pg.77)

Eldorado… a mythical country said to be filled with gold and silver. However in Candide, it’s a lot more than that. It’s the example of a perfect country, where no courts, prisons, or churches exist because they are not needed. I believe Voltaire uses Eldorado to demonstrate a Utopia. Even Candide realizes this. I mean, after being watching all the gold and silver just laying on the streets with people being not so greedy compared to what Europe or Westphalia was… It would be hard not to see this, the simplicity of the people I mean.

Its funny how Voltaire compares Westphalia to Eldorado specially in this two phrases: “The Baron was one of the most influential noblemen in Westphalia, for his house had a door and several windows and his hall was actually draped with tapestry.” (Pg 19) vs. “They walked over to a modest little house, and went in it, The door was mere silver, and the rooms were paneled with nothing better than gold […] It is true the hall was incrusted only with rubies and emeralds, but everything was so well designed as to compensate for this extreme simplicity” (Pg. 78) I think I don’t even have to write down what I am thinking, because I am pretty sure you are thinking the same thing. They can’t ever be compared.

I think with Eldorado Voltaire demonstrates how greedy, ambitious, and complicated people from Europe, and actually all around the world are.  For example while in Europe there were continuous wars concerning religions, while in Eldorado they only believe in one God, they are completely sure about it, and they don’t ask for things, instead they thank him. This is something people don’t do that often nowadays, demonstrating the greediness of humankind. 

Imagine you got to this mythical country where gold is being played with by nine year-olds in the street. What would be your first thought? Get some of this gold and take it back to Europe, you will certainly become rich. That’s exactly what Candide and Cacambo think. They are honest enough not to steal it instead they ask for it, what do you expect the answer to be? No, right, or that was at least what I thought, actually it would be more like this;  “you greedy Europeans only care about money right? Well too bad leave immediately!” and probably with some bad words. However that was absolutely not even close to what they got. Instead the King himself said “The King laughed, ‘I don’t understand your European taste for our yellow mud, but take all you want, and much good may it do to you.’” (Pg. 83) Clearly not what you expected huh? Well that’s exactly Voltaire’s point: we should all be more less selfish and greedy.

We are not able to become the society we wish for because we are to concentrated on our ambitions, money, being better than the rest, which is not bad, however when we get to the point were we wish the others bad things, then there is a problem.