In 1927 Fritz Lang produced the silent film Metropolis. It was a dystopian view of the future where the world split between a small leisured class and an oppressed working poor.

This divide between rich and poor has been a common theme throughout history and although science fiction, Metropolis reflected the political concerns of the time.

In the film a rich man realizes the plight of the poor through his fascination with a girl from the underground worker’s city. After witnessing an accident that kills and injures many workers, the young man tries to make his industrialist father aware of the terrible conditions. His father is unconcerned.

His father’s indifference eventually leads to disaster. The rich son and the young heroine save the day and represent the coming together of rich and poor.

In terms of narrative it is almost like a fairy tale. Head and hands, rich and poor, are united by heart. Love and empathy save the day.

Lang claimed to dislike the movie years later, which is not surprising as he made more cynical film noir movies such as The Big Heat.

It is considered a classic stylistically, but does the movie have any lasting relevance?

If re-made today it would probably end up as a rom com contrasting western wealth and developing world industrialization. Hipster liberal and mobile phone factory worker, perhaps! Of course it would still be incredibly simplistic and Lang would hate it more than the original.

In the real world wealth and poverty exist in both the west and newly industrializing nations. What was true then and is true now is that large wealth gaps lead to unstable societies that are often held together through social conservatism and/or authoritarianism that destroys personal liberty.

Does inequality increase crime – world economic forum

Social Liberalism appears to be currently out of fashion politically, stuck somewhere between the selfish right and revolutionary left. It has an undeserved reputation of being about bleeding hearts. It is the heart in Metropolis that attempts to unite head and hands. In a cynical age, it is, like Metropolis, viewed as a fairy tale that ignores the selfish aspects of human nature.

The actual point of social liberalism is about finding a balance that leads to a stable and peaceful society that also protects personal freedom and autonomy.

Progressive politics could be more cohesive by being less about big hearts and more about the practical benefits of ending extreme economic and social disparity.

Social liberalism – Wikipedia