Analysis Of St Thomas More's Utopia

Saint Thomas More: Principles With In Utopia

Utopia (published in 1516) attempts to offer a practical response to the crises of the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries by carefully defining an ideal republic. Utopia focuses on politics and social organization in stark detail. The books begin a conversation between Thomas More and Raphael (Hebrew for 'God has healed '). Raphael is a traveler who has seen much of the world yet is impressed by little of it. Even monsters are hardly worthy of concern. After all, "There is never any shortage of horrible creatures who prey on human beings, snatch away their food, or devour whole populations; but examples of wise social planning are not so easy to find.” (p.40)

Before long, it becomes clear that

It addresses many social ills that were plaguing Europe at the time. More uses the monastery as a basis for a solution to these ills and I have listed The elimination of private property (because monasteries were open to visitors and travelers), Moderated Pleasure (illustrated by activities with in the monastery that suggest the old saying everything is good in moderation), The Nature of Labor and family structure as a part of the state and daily life. This primary organizing principle of Utopia is the elimination of private property. All goods are held in common and dispensed freely. The implications of this form of public life are significant

In other places practically everyone knows that, if he doesn 't look out for himself, he 'll starve to death, however prosperous his country may be. He 's therefore compelled to give his own interests priority over those of the public; that is, of other people. But in Utopia, where everything 's under public ownership, no one has any fear of going short, as long as the public storehouses are full. Everyone gets a fair share, so there are never any poor men or beggars. Nobody owns anything, but everyone is rich - for what greater wealth can there be than cheerfulness, peace of mind, and freedom from anxiety? (p.