Thomas More (1478-1535)

Rev. 13 October 2003

Utopia (1516)

You can read the extracts from Utopia having in mind the following list of questions for discussion:

  1. Do people possess their houses? Do they use money?
  2. Work distribution in Utopia. Which are the parasites of the European countries?
  3. Does Utopia have slaves?
  4. Comment on the marriage customs in Utopia.
  5. Is there a death penalty in Utopia?
  6. What is the attitude of Utopians towards war?
  7. How do Utopians solve the problem of population increase?
  8. Is there freedom of religion in Utopia?
  9. What is the position of women in Utopia?
  10. Is Utopia democratic?

Some elements of the social organization of Utopia may be understood as Thomas More's suggestion on how to deal with some of the problems that contemporary England had to face. Consider in each case the advantages and disadvantages of the solutions proposed. Pay attention to the irony of the implications by contrast: what situations of the English (or European) society are denounced indirectly by their implied comparison with Utopia?