Walden Two

Walden Two by B. F. Skinner opens with the introduction of two servicemen that have recently been discharged from their commands. After seeing the tragedies of war, they are interested in starting a community that is different from the world they have just left. They are interested in staring a community in which they can experiment and try new ways of thinking and attempt to understand the world around them: "We want to find out what is the matter with people, why they can't get along without fighting the time. We want to find out what people really want, what they need in order to be happy, and how they can get it without stealing it from somebody else". Thus the birth of Walden Two.

The utopian community that is designed in Walden Two is based on the concept of cooperative living. Although Burris comments that other society attempting to live under the conceptualization of cooperative living have failed in the past, Frazier contends that this is because other communities have attempted to live outside of the boundaries of government: "Generally the plan was to get away from government and allow the natural virtue of man to assert itself. What more can you ask for as an explanation of failure?".

While Walden Two has identified the existing problems with rebuking government, the society does not actively promote participation in politics and government. Although the members of Walden Two are asked to vote in state and local elections they take no interest in outside politics. Further, the Walden Two community does not support religion.