And is this not the very reason for the establishment of the State? If there were cause and reason for confidence among individuals, the State would never have come into existence. The sacred and essential foundation for the State is our mutual and well-founded suspicion of each other. Anyone questioning this foundation throws suspicion upon the State.
Kallocain is a dystopian novel set in a totalitarian state. This state, named Worldstate, is as dreadful as it gets. In this state there are no privileges, even powerful people live the same way as the rest. However, humans are merely part of a machinery; they are expected to give up their individuality in benefit of the state, and their only function is to reproduce and work. People are observed and controlled all the time, microphones and cameras following all their steps, even in their own houses. And everyone, starting from childhood is encouraged to inform on any disruptive action by their co-citizens.
The book follows Leo Kall, a scientist that works in Chemtown #4, who develops a drug that makes people tell the truth, which he names Kallocain. This leads to a new form of control by the government in which not only actions, but thoughts are judged. The book focuses on the final trail and approval period of the drug.
I did not really engage with the characters and I felt that the story was a bit slow, so cannot say I loved this book, but there is definitely something genius about it. The writing is so detached and cold, that it is hard to feel much towards the characters. At the same time, that is how that imaginary world works, so she makes you feel like these humans felt: in Worldstate humans are completely disconnected from each other, and feelings are frowned upon. Another genius thing about it is how Boye writes the passages of the people under Kallocain, which feel completely honest and give some humanity to the book.
About Karin Boye
Karin Boye was born in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1900, where she is renowned as a poet. However, internationally she is best known for her novel, Kallocain. Boye wrote this book in 1940 (eight years before Orwell’s 1984) and at that point there were no known truth-inducing drugs, which also makes it groundbreaking.
Other books written by Swedish women:
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Swedish initiatives and projects that support and empower girls and women
Fatta is a non-profit membership association for anyone who wants to get involved against sexual violence and for consent in practice and legislation. They have several comunication channels to promote their fight, among which are a podcast, lectures and several articles dealing with topics from equality in the workplace to consent.
The Map of Fiction by Women 