Utopia by Thomas More
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About this Public Domain Book
This full text of Utopia has entered the public domain in the UK and is now freely available. It may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted without any restrictions. We are providing it for free distribution and use by individuals for non-commercial purposes. Please note that the copyright status in other countries may vary, so it is advisable to check the copyright laws of your specific jurisdiction before reproducing, distributing, or transmitting the text.
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First published: 1516
Number of Words: 44,000
Avg. Time to Read: 3 - 4 hours
Description:
In 1516, Thomas More published his most famous work, Utopia. The book told the story of traveler Raphael Hythloday recounting his journey to the fictional island of Utopia, located off the coast of South America. More created Utopia as a fictional place with its own unique social, political, and economic systems. The island was divided into 54 communities and governed under an egalitarian system with all property held in common. There was little money, a six hour workday, and an emphasis on education and philosophy.
Utopia challenged many societal norms and injustices of More’s time in Europe, such as poverty, inequality of wealth, and the enclosure of common land. More advocated for religious tolerance and the abolition of the death penalty in Utopia. The island also had a highly developed agriculture and no idle poor. More portrayed Utopia as enjoying plentiful resources, peace, and prosperity through its rational laws and customs. However, it remains unclear if More fully endorsed all aspects of this fictional society.
While a work of fiction, Utopia was also intended as a philosophical work. More used the narrative device of describing an ideal society to subtly critique problems in his own nation of England and the direction of change underway. Utopia highlighted issues of good governance, criminal justice reform, poverty, and the relationship between the state and the individual. It became one of the most influential and bestselling works of the Renaissance.
Utopia introduced ideas that would be further developed by later philosophers, such as public education, separation of church and state, women’s rights, land reform, and more equitable distribution of wealth. Centuries later, Utopia remains renowned as one of the earliest examples of the social science fiction genre and a pioneering work of political philosophy. It established More’s reputation as one of the most brilliant and progressive thinkers of his era.
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