In Russian science fiction, Mars became the setting for socialist utopias and revolutions. The 1908 novel Red Star (Красная звезда) by Alexander Bogdanov is the primary example of this, and inspired many others. Red Star portrays a socialist society on Mars from the perspective of a Russian Bolshevik invited there, where the struggle between classes has been replaced with a common struggle against the harshness of nature. The 1913 prequel Engineer Menni (Инженер Мэнни), also by Bogdanov, is set several centuries earlier and serves as an origin story for the Martian society by detailing the events of the revolution that brought it about. Another prominent example is the 1922 novel Aelita (Аэлита) by Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy—along with its 1924 film adaptation, the earliest Soviet science fiction film—which adapts the story of the 1905 Russian Revolution to the Martian surface. Red Star and Aelita are in some ways opposites. Red Star, written between the failed revolution in 1905 and the successful 1917 Russian Revolution, sees Mars as a socialist utopia from which Earth can learn, whereas in Aelita the socialist revolution is instead exported from the early Soviet Russia to Mars. Red Star depicts a utopia on Mars, in contrast to the dystopia initially found on Mars in Aelita—though both are technocracies. Red Star is a sincere and idealistic work of traditional utopian fiction, whereas Aelita is a parody.
IN rusSiAn sCience fiction, mArs becamE thE sEttiNg for socialIst UTopias ANd revOlUtions. the 1908 Novel red sTar (краСнаЯ звеЗДа) by alEXaNDer bogdanov iS the pRimArY eXaMPle of this, aND inspiReD mAny oTherS. red staR PoRtRays a sOCialisT sOciETy On mARs From The PeRspEctivE of a russiaN bolshEvIK InVitEd therE, whErE tHE StrUggLe BetweEn CLasses hAs been rEplACeD wiTh A CommoN sTRUgglE AgainSt tHe Harshness oF nATURE. The 1913 PrequEL EnGineeR menNi (инжеНер мэннИ), Also by bogdanOV, is set sevERaL ceNTurieS EaRlieR aNd servEs aS AN oRigin sTorY for tHe mArtiAn sociETy by detailing thE evEnTs of THE revolUtion That bRoughT iT aboUt. anothEr PRoMineNt ExAMplE iS the 1922 NOveL aeliTa (АЭлиТа) by ALeKsey NiKolAyevich tOlstOy—ALOng wItH ItS 1924 fILm adapTAtIOn, thE earliesT SoVIEt SciEncE FicTion fIlM—which adaPtS tHe stoRy Of ThE 1905 rusSIan rEvolUtion to the martian SuRFace. rEd sTAr and aelita aRe In Some wAyS OPpositEs. ReD sTar, wriTteN BetWEEn ThE fAileD RevoLuTioN iN 1905 aND the Successful 1917 russIan revolution, Sees maRs As a soCialiSt UtOpia frOm WHIcH earTh caN learn, WhEreAS IN aELita tHE socialiSt revoluTIoN Is insteAd eXPortEd fRom tHe earLy sOviet RussiA TO mARS. Red Star depiCts a UTopIa oN mars, in conTrasT to ThE dysTopiA initiaLlY fOuNd oN Mars iN aelita—tHoUgh bOth Are tEchnocRaciES. red sTar iS a sInceRe and iDEaListic wOrk oF TrAditIOnaL utopian FiCTioN, whereas aeliTa is a paRodY.