Question

Why does Mark Twain call the economic and social conditions depicted in his novel "an entirely ideal state of society"

Answer 1

He later expands on the "ideal state of society" by describing it as a state where the rich are generous and honest, the  poor are content and simpleminded, there is no fever of speculation, no great desire of wealth, and politicians are capable and patriotic. This is Twain's ideal state of society.

Answer 2

Historians generally refer to the period between 1870 and 1900 as the Golden Age, which takes its name from a 1873 novel published by Mark Twain in which the author satirizes economic excesses and political abuses.

Twain is ashamed of not being able to give examples of that "perfect society" where rich and poor are honest, generous and pure, simply because it does not exist.

The author describes an ideal society that exists only in people's imagination. For example, in the text he indicates that in today's society "all the poor are naive and happy" but, in reality, they are unhappy and work to improve their lives. Organisations such as trade unions represent the working class and their objectives are invariably to improve the incomes, working conditions and general standard of living of these people.