social and political structure

A utopian society is an ideal state of place. Shevek has come to the conclusion that the ways of his people, that the PDC, is not an ideal way of living. Shevek is a physicist who wants to speak to other physicist who understand his theories and can share with him their breakthroughs and discoveries. The only people Shevek feels he can speak to are the scientists on Urras, but this is forbidden by his people. For this reason, Shevek stands up as an individual and fights the system, eventually traveling to Urras as the first Anarrarite to leave his home planet.

Shevek believes that going to a world with a government he will find a utopia that will provide him with all the things missing on Anarres. However, Shevek instead finds a world that is materialistic and a government that cares little for its people. Shevek discusses with a Terra ambassador what paradise really is. The ambassador feels that Urras is her paradise because her own planet has been damaged and the only livable space is an inhospitable desert. Shevek, on the other hand, thinks of his own planet with nostalgia and decides that even with its flaws, it is a better place than Urras.