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This book says it all. It tells us what is wrong with our world by contrasting it to an imagined world at the opposite social extreme to our own more mundane world. Utopia should not be read as a statement of how we should live but as a warning about everything that is wrong in the modern world. It is amazing to see how little we have learnt since this book was written.This book is as relevant now as when it was written. It remains one of the greatest social comments of the modern world. This should not be the case but perhaps this indicates how the world has developed.

Thomas More, executed by Henry VIII (one of his best friends) for treason, led an illustrious career of politics and letters. Under his friend the King, he served in many capacities - Speaker of the House of Commons, Master of Requests, Privy Councillor, etc. - culminating with the trust of the position of Lord Chancellor, a position in those days matching the prominence (if not the definition) of Prime Minister in these days. More's strong integrity and resolute mind caught the attention of scholars, political and church leaders internationally; it was this same integrity that most likely was his undoing, refusing to assent to the King's divorce and severance of ties binding the English Church with the Roman overlordship of the Pope. Indeed, More was, if not the actual ghostwriter, then certainly an inspiration and editorial aide to the document produced by King Henry VIII against the continental protestants, earning for Henry (and his heirs ever after) the title of Defender of the Faith (historical irony is that this title, most likely not intended to be hereditary, now declares the defense of a faith separated from the one for which the title was bestowed). While an Ambassador to Flanders, More spent spare time writing this book, 'Utopia'. The very title is a still a by-word in the English language (as well as others) of a state of bliss and peace; it is often used with the context of being unrealistic. 'Utopia' is More's response to and development from Plato's 'Republic', in that it is a framework for a perfect society, or at least perfect according to More's ideas of the time. Penned originally in Latin, 'Utopia' has been translated widely; one of the better translations is by H.V.S. Ogden, in 1949, still reprinted in various editions to this day. Originally published in Latin in 1516, the first English version appeared in 1551, some 16 years after More's death. -----------

Utopia

----------- Thomas More writes this as if he were traveling, and meets his friend Peter Giles, who introduces him to Raphael Hythloday, a scholar/traveler with tales to tell. Hythloday made friends with a prince who outfitted him for a journey. He traveled through deserts and fertile lands. He proceeds to give an account to Giles and More. In an ironic twist, given More's own attachment to Henry VIII, Hythloday states that he doesn't give his information in advice of kings or princes, for to be beholden to them is not a wise thing. He quotes Plato, in saying that unless kings were themselves philosophers, they should never appreciate philosophers. More argues for public service, which Hythloday rejects as something that other place-seekers will use to bolster their own positions. Then Hythloday makes the startling pronouncement with regard to how a society should be constituted: 'As long as there is property, and while money is the standard of all things, I cannot think that a nation can be governed either justly or happily; not justly, because the best things will fall to the share of the worst men; nor happily, because all things will be divided among a few (and even these are not in all respects happy), the rest being left to the absolutely miserable.' Hythloday proceeds to give an account of the life of Utopia, where, he says, there are so few laws and so much liberty and equality that virtue is always rewarded, and each person has what he or she needs. He talks about this under the following headings: Of Their Towns, Particularly of Amaurot

Of Their Magistrates

Of Their Trades, and Manner of Life

Of Their Traffic

Of the Travelling of the Utopians

Of Their Slaves, and of Their Marriages

Of Their Military Discipline

Of the Religions of the Utopians 'Utopia' is a radical document. It anticipates the modern idea of communism, with private property at a minimum; it is generations ahead in the idea of equality of the sexes and freedom of religion. This may seem a remarkable statement from someone who will go to his death supporting the Roman hierarchy, but in historical irony, had religious freedom been respected in England at the time, More would have had nothing to fear. 'Utopia' was a place of education and free inquiry. Again, More's own life models this - travelers from as far away as Constantinople and Venice, visiting More's home in Chelsea, remarked on the incredible sense of knowledge and respect for reason and learning, not just for the men, but also for the women of the household (More's own daughter once impressed Henry VIII with her Latin training so much he was at pains to find something at which he excelled that he could best her at). At different points throughout the text, More (speaking through Hythloday) jabs in witty and insightful manner the habits of the day - that kings are often more concerned to fill their own coffers than increasing the general wealth of the nation; that courts are designed to be self-serving and self-perpetuating; that liberties are curtailed not for just and reasonable causes, but often for petty personal reasons. Some of the ideas, however, are not as modern or enlightened as they might seem at first glance. Utopians' freedom of religion exists only in very narrow bounds of reason - they are all monotheists, and while they might identify this deity with the sun or moon or a good person who died long ago, they are not permitted to speak or attempt to convert others to this idea, without risking bondage or death. Not too Utopian after all... ------- More was beatified by Leo XIII in 1886 and canonised by Pius XI in 1935 (it is significant to note that Anglican-Roman relations were at a strained point during these times, and the raising of an English saint who rejected the Anglican construct served at least minor political points, something More would have been able to appreciate, if not approve). The official feast day is July 9.

Upon his return from Utopia, a colony in the Americas, Raphael Nonsenso describes in detail the culture of the Utopian people to More and a friend. He lays out structures of government, labour, economy, religions, and practices of crime and punishment. In a place like Utopia, which because of More's book we now have instant associations of equality, peace, and so on, it is odd to note that slavery and capital punishment are seen as necessary institutions in Utopia.From Nonsenso's description, Utopia appears a self-important, isolationist society, but Nonsenso is only too willing to overlook its negative aspects in light of its positives. His outlines almost sound anachronistically like the measured script of a tour guide or a documentary film. The question is - if Utopia is so great a place, why not serve as Utopia's ambassador to Europe? Can we really buy his explanation that he returned to Europe simply to spread the news of Utopian success? If he is convinced that European cultures are immutable, why bother telling anyone? No society is born complete - even Utopia had to develop - if they can do it, why is Nonsenso so convinced that Europe's nations cannot attain that level of 'perfection'?More's classic text speaks to us clearly in the present day, as familiar as we are with stories of Utopias gone awry, the most notable being Orwell's "1984" and "Animal Farm" - Absolutely a foundational text.

I had to read this book for school. At the time, it wasn't very interesting, just something I had to do, but it's very short and I read it one day. Now, though, I'm really glad I've read it. It says a lot about "perfect socity" and makes you wonder if any of utopian ways of doing things would truley make people, society, better. It gives you something to discuss. Plus, I had seen Ever After before and after reading this book and it kinda gave me a new perspective on the movie afterwards. :)There's not much of a plot to this book, it's a little hard to sit through, but I think this is one of those books you need to read, even if only to say that you've read it!

It's unfortunate that it seems as if most of these reviews were written by people whose only knowledge of More has come from the (mostly incorrect) opinions they have formed after reading this book. I don't think one can truly understand its import until he or she understands where Moore is at this point in his life and what he previously wrote ("Life of Pico", for example) and what he wrote later (while in prison, perhaps). No, he wasn't expressing his views through Raphael. In fact, it's clear that Raphael is an opinionated fibber (i.e., he discovered Utopia after Vespucci's fourth voyage? There were only three and Morus knows it...) and his account is purposefully filled with contradictions. There's more to it! More is raising issues, trying to make the careful reader think (and shame on some of the other reviewers for not being careful readers). And once you've read this book, read enough More (ha!) to understand what was going on in the bigger scheme of things, such as More's relationship with the other Renaissance humanists of his time and Henry VIII.