I would define dystopia as a society where oppression is multifaceted, in which a tyrant or tyrannical ruling class instills fear in their subjects and exploits them for the benefit of a ruling elite, and the subjects have no sense of privacy, property, or freedom and above all a feeling of desolate hopelessness amongst themselves.
The multifaceted oppression that marks a dystopia can be best summarized through Iris Young’s “Five Faces of Oppression”. These faces include exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, cultural imperialism, and violence. In a dystopian society, these forms of oppression are not only present but are often institutionalized and normalized, perpetuating a cycle of systemic injustice and inequality. Exploitation manifests in the forced labor and removal of resources from the masses by the ruling elite, while marginalization pushes certain groups to the fringes of society, depriving them of access to resources and opportunities. Powerlessness permeates the social hierarchy, rendering individuals voiceless and devoid of agency, while cultural imperialism imposes dominant ideologies and erases diverse cultural expressions. Furthermore, violence, both physical and psychological, becomes a tool of control and coercion, employed by those in power to suppress dissent and maintain their grip on authority. Together, these forms of oppression solidify the dystopian society’s grip on its citizens.
I believe that it is the Hobbesian jungle metaphor that reflects or explains the feeling of desolate hopelessness amongst members in a dystopia. As most dystopian societies are often chaotic and brutal with individuals pitted against each other in a constant struggle for survival. In such environments, the rule of law is often replaced by the law of the jungle, where the strong prey upon the weak, and moral principles are discarded in favor of self-preservation. This coupled with an oppressive regime perpetuates a state of fear and competition among citizens reinforcing the dystopian hierarchy and fostering a culture of mistrust, betrayal, and brutality among citizens.