Utopia Essay

In his book Utopia, Thomas More examines a society that seems to be the ideal living situation for human beings. The main thesis of Utopia is his solution to many of the problems that are being faced in English society in the early 16th century.

Since humanity, a perfect place has always been imagined and tried. Although there have been many places that have attempted this type of community, none have ever been close to a Utopia. Nevertheless, my group will defeat this challenge and simulate the flawless country. Echo will be like nothing ever seen before. It will be a place where people will have the freedom of a democracy, the order of a dictatorship, the understanding of a direct democracy, and the equality of communism. Arcadia will thrive with advanced understanding of science, technology, and mathematics. Countries will face us with awe and desire of our technology, and concern of the world. Our country will be the place where philosophers, scientists, and other

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.

Sir Thomas More was a key proponent of the renaissance Humanist movement during the 16th century. He wrote the work Utopia to critique his own society and take measures to improve their social and political problems by establishing a commonwealth that focused on abolishing private property and individuality. The goal of taking away individualism in society was to provide equal opportunities for all of its citizens. By eliminating discrepancy among individuals, More’s Utopia also eradicates jealousy, greed, poverty and other negative characteristics that currently exist during the same time in English society due to the country’s freedom of individuality. On the surface this seems like a wise idea, but by taking away individualism, More’s Utopia

Parity of basic needs, elimination of poverty, and balance of power within society are features of Utopia. However, current culture may find the manipulation of the individual for the good of the commonwealth and the indifferent attitude towards women to be dystopic features of Utopia that hinder it from being an idyllic place.

Throughout history, philosophers have tried to uncover the reasons behind people’s actions. Although many philosophers believe in human nature, which is the basic state of humans, there are some philosophers who believe that human nature simply does not exist. There are ideas about why people act the way they do, including assumptions based upon human nature, but the reality is that humans will do what they please based upon free will. Thomas More, a philosopher, envisioned a society and customs, which were outlined in his novel Utopia. In life, people will do what they please, but nothing can ever be completely perfect due to the nature of life and self-interests, which goes against Thomas More’s whole idea of his society.

In Thomas More’s Utopia it is clear that we, the readers, can see that he is a humanist through his fictional civilization. More utilizies the narrator, Raphael, as a toold to explain an alternative reality based on his humanist ideas. There are many examples of humanism throughout his passages, but the ones that stood out were his viewpoints on luxurious clothing, the agricultural economy, and slavery through human essence. These points can all be tied to the idea of leveling during the later middle ages, in Thomas More’s time period.

Each person has their own vision of utopia. Utopia means an ideal state, a paradise, a land of enchantment. It has been a central part of the history of ideas in Western Civilization. Philosophers and writers continue to imagine and conceive plans for an ideal state even today. They use models of ideal government to express their ideas on contemporary issues and political conditions. Man has never of comparing the real and ideal, actuality and dream, and the stark facts of human condition and hypothetical versions of optimum life and government.

The Utopian land is divided into two main terrains: farmland and cities. The farmlands, of course, are where most of the country's resources are produced. The services of the economy, smithing, carpentry, clothmaking, etc., are mainly produced in the cities. Iron is the only resource which must be imported abundantly. All of the resources, except iron, that the nation requires, it produces on its own.

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.

such horribly bad form to go on and on like this with one man" (40).  In

Utopia- good place, or in other words, no place. Thomas More, in his work Utopia, describes a nation in a parallel universe free from greed, pride, immorality, poverty, and crime; told as a narrative of a well-traveled explorer Hythloday to Moore himself, Hythloday speaks of a nation founded purely upon rationality, efficiency, and perfect morality. Thomas More’s work is no political or social theory, but rather a social critique and a commentary. In an age experiencing political and social struggle across every aspect of Western civilization along with the flooding of ancient and new ideas, Utopia is More’s way of discovering and exploring man’s and society’s natural structures and tendencies, and expressing his discontent towards them- this is shown in the narrative, as the dialogue of Hythloday and More represent his conflicted view between the ideal and the pragmatic. Acknowledging these flaws, More’s work critiques the utopian society from the perspectives of an imperfect man, but also vice versa.

Firchow, Peter Edgerly. "George Orwell's Dystopias: From Animal Farm to Nineteen Eighty-Four." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 11 Mar. 201

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.

Utopia is a brilliant novel written by Thomas More. The idea of a utopia seems impossible, how can anyone live in a perfect place when perfection is in the eyes of the beholder? The Utopia in this novel is nothing more than abundant of already established ideas therefore it can’t not truly be a Utopia.