Role Of Uniformity In Utopia

A utopia is a place of ideal perfection. However, according to the Merriam-Webster, it is also an impractical scheme for social improvement. Though dating back to the earliest days of U.S. history, utopian communities became a part of American thought by the 1840s. Various groups that were struggling because of urbanization and industrialization, challenged the traditional norms of American society with a desire to create a world without capitalism, immigration, and the tension between communities. However, these attempts failed due to individualism, materialism, the lack of growth, and little balance.

Although comparing one society to another does not require them to be different in government or human behavior, it does necessarily weight one’s faults against its victories to render it better or worse than the other. This comparative structure, found between Thomas More’s two books of Utopia, poses the country of Utopia opposite the broader communities of world civilization. Despite the comparison of Utopia as distinct from and morally better than widespread society, in truth Utopia is, at best, an extension.

A person’s perception of Utopia varies depending on their life experiences and what they hope to expect of the society in which they live. It's an ideal place where equality, serenity, protection, and freedom are essential qualities.

Although there are many differences in the way a utopia is achieved and ultimately the way it falls apart, the peace and harmony desired for a utopia is the same.

This change in meaning is thought to have been the result of a deviation from the usage of the expression ‘utopia’ and an emphasis placed on the alternative, ‘eutopia,’ taken from the Greek εὖ, meaning ‘good’ or ‘well’ and τόπος, meaning ‘place’, therefore indicating a positive utopia. In English, of course, both eutopia and utopia are homophonous, therefore creating a sense of confusion, as the two words have been used to describe both an intentional community that attempts to create an ideal society and the imagined societies portrayed in works of fiction. Thus the etymology of the term is crucial to our understanding of its social and political significance, as well as its relation to literary

The Utopians live in a society that is free from the grips of money and hoarding, one that is as close to perfect as one can feasibly imagine. It is a world where people get along together in harmony, with “nothing private anywhere” (More 231). The only have gardening competitions, and even their gardens are not permanent, dying with each passing year. They “change houses by lot” every ten years to keep people from hoarding earthly goods, and by doing this create a society where not only does everyone contribute, and everyone also communicates and relates to those around them (More 231). This happens in large part, according to More, because of “communal living and their moneyless economy” (More 269). Through this revolutionary and ideal living, they create a place where there is no bribery because there is no money, with

However, gold and silver play a very different role in Utopia. There is no monetary system; all of the people are provided with what they need. Instead of working to get money with which they can choose what they want, their work is repaid with everything they need. What each person needs is decided by them alone, and there is no risk of anyone taking more than they need. Why would anyone take more than they need when they will always be provided for? There is no reason to store up for the future, and there is nothing to do with extra, unnecessary products.

In our lives today, we take advantage of all the luxuries that are presented daily. Freedom alone is one of the greatest luxuries we possess as an American nation. In Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs and Utopia by Thomas Moore, we are presented two life styles, which some might consider very similar in various ways. Both authors focus on a peaceful living lifestyle, to better the people of the nation. Although some of their specific details are different, I believe that Jacobs would definitely approve of the features that More develops in Utopia.

     Sir Thomas More writes, in his book Utopia, about a society that is perfect in practically ever sense. The people all work an equal amount and everything they need for survival is provided. Most importantly is that everyone living in this perfect society is happy and content with their everyday lives. In this society everybody supports everyone. The community is only as strong as its weakest link. For society to progress everyone must work together. Opponents of the Utopian system, however, feel that the strong should not have to look after the weak. Progress would be maximized if all the resources are spent on the people most qualified to help society. A Utopian society, as perfect as the one

This concept of communal property is successful because it decreases the possibility for a social hierarchy based on material items. Also, the lack of seclusion is conducive to forming close friendships, thus strengthening communal bonds. Not having privacy could lead to a feeling of paranoia that one’s actions are always being monitored, however in a “utopian community”, individuals should be acting benevolently, with virtuous intentions. The layout and construction of Utopia has been successful with respect to traffic flow, shared property and motivation to act properly.

     Socialist ideals have recurred throughout the history of literature; from Plato to Marx the elusive goal of a perfect state has occupied some of the best minds in political thought manifesting itself in literature. In the midst of this historic tradition is the Utopia of More, a work which links the utopias of the ancient with the utopias of the modern. Hythloday's fantasy island draws heavily on the Greek Republic and yet it influenced the revolutionary world of Marx. What values do the Utopians hold which are in common with other socialist utopian values, and which ideals of theirs are unique?

Utopia is Sir Thomas More’s seminal work, depicting a fictitious island and its religious, social, and political customs. Working as an advisor to King Henry VIII, More was aware of the issues of his time such as ridiculous inflation, corruption, wars for little or no purpose, courtly ostentation, the abuse of power by the absolute monarchs, and the maltreatment of the poor. Consequently, More used Utopia to contrast some unique and refreshing political ideas with the chaotic politics of his own country. It is important to note that More did not intend to provide an exact blueprint for a perfect society, rather he merely presents his ideas in the form of a political satire, revealing the evils of his time.

The idea of a perfect society, or “utopia,” was first introduced in Sir Thomas More’s book Utopia, written in 1516. In the book, More described a fictional island in the Atlantic Ocean through the character Raphael. On the island everything and everyone has a specific place and purpose. There is no private property, all of the houses on the island are the same; you can walk in the front door, through the house, and out the back door. All necessary items are stored in warehouses, where people only request what they need. The people on the island manufacture the items in the warehouse, everyone that can work does, which means little to no unemployment.

Just like the first theory of Utopia being a communist country, the socialism theory also mentions the Utopian attitude of common wealth. The Utopian position is believed to be founded upon the distrust of mankind. How can this manmade island be perfect when its residents can’t trust its own race? How do they deal with outsiders and population problems? Well the answer to the population problem they just send people away to other states that need more people or family members that have one too many, these actions seem worse than their ideals of common wealth, anyway I digress these will be mentioned later on. The Utopians even frown upon private activities like eating, reading philosophy, and taking a vacation are discouraged. Privacy in a way is scary to them because once someone has it there could be no telling what he or she

The goal of the utopia is to provide for the community, thus keeping it sustainable. Everyone works not out of personal benefit, but out of benefit for the community which will strengthen