More’s erudition, great sense of humour, witty and lucid style make Utopia an enjoyable read.
He draws upon ancient Greek philosophy and Utopian literature, most notably Plato’s Republic and Plutarch’s Life of Lycurgus, and weaves a fascinating, though controversial, account of an ideal state. Among other things, there is a governing principle which has appealed to me since my youth and I think is necessary for a just and vibrant society. Another principle enables diverse religions to co-exist both peacefully and productively, which is better than Locke’s later idea of toleration.
From each according to his ability,
to each according to his needs.
A Utopia of Universal and Profitable Labour
Consider how great a part of mankind is idle, you will find that the number of those by whose labours mankind is supplied is much less than you perhaps imagined. First, women generally do little, who are the half of mankind; and if some few women are diligent, their husbands are idle; then consider the great company of idle priests, and of those that are called religious men; add to these all rich men, together with their families of idle persons, kept more for show than use; add to these all those strong and lusty beggars that go about pretending some disease in excuse for their begging.
Then consider how few of those that work are employed in labours that are of real service. For we measure all things by money. Many trades are both vain and superfluous, and serve only to support riot and luxury. If all those who labour about useless things and those who languish out their lives in sloth and idleness were set to more profitable employments, a small proportion of time would serve for doing all that is either necessary, profitable, or pleasant to mankind. There would be such an abundance that prices would sink so low as to render tradesmen unmaintainable by their gains
Devaluing the Symbols of Vanity
They eat and drink out of vessels of earth or glass, while they make their chamber-pots and close-stools of gold and silver, not only in their public halls but in their private houses. Of the same metals they likewise make chains and fetters for their slaves, to some of which, as a badge of infamy, they hang an earring of gold, and make others wear a chain or a coronet of the same metal. Thus they take care by all possible means to render gold and silver of no esteem. Other nations part with their gold and silver as unwillingly as if one tore out their bowels.
They find pearls on their coasts, and diamonds and carbuncles on their rocks; they do not look after them, but, if they find them by chance, they polish them, and with them they adorn their children, who are delighted with them, and glory in them during their childhood; but when they grow to years, and see that none but children use such baubles, they of their own accord, without being bid by their parents, lay them aside, and would be as much ashamed to use them afterwards as children among us, when they come to years, are of their puppets and other toys.
The Utopians wonder how any should value himself because his cloth is made of a finer thread; for, how fine soever that thread may be, it was once no better than the fleece of a sheep, and that sheep, was a sheep still, for all its wearing it.
Unity in Diversity of Religions
Though there are many different forms of religion among them, all agree in worshipping the Divine Essence. Therefore, there is nothing to be seen or heard in their temples in which the several persuasions may not agree. Every sect performs those rites that are peculiar to it in their private houses. Nor is there anything in the public worship that contradicts the particular ways of those different sects.
There are no images for God in their temples, so that every one may represent Him to his thoughts according to the way of his religion. They call this one God by the name of Mithras, which is the common name by which they all express the Divine Essence, whatsoever otherwise they think it to be. Nor are there any prayers among them but such as every one may use without prejudice to his own opinion.
Related Posts:
References:
- More, Thomas. “Utopia.” Project Gutenberg. April 01, 2000. Accessed April 07, 2018. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2130.