thomas more - utopia

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Thomas More - Utopia Thomas More - Utopia

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Page 1: Thomas More - Utopia

Thomas More - UtopiaThomas More - Utopia

Page 2: Thomas More - Utopia

More – Life and TimesMore – Life and Times► Born 1478. Died 1535 Born 1478. Died 1535

executedexecuted► Lawyer, Humanist, CatholicLawyer, Humanist, Catholic► Served in house of John Morton Served in house of John Morton

(Archbishop of Canterbury and (Archbishop of Canterbury and Henry VII’s Lord Chancellor)Henry VII’s Lord Chancellor)

► Influence of Humanism (Influence of Humanism (studia studia humanitatis humanitatis – grammar, – grammar, rhetoric, history, poetry, moral rhetoric, history, poetry, moral philosophy)philosophy)

► friend of Erasmus and John friend of Erasmus and John ColetColet

► Key Writings: Key Writings: History of King History of King Richard the ThirdRichard the Third; ; Utopia Utopia (1516)(1516); ; A Dialogue Concerning A Dialogue Concerning HeresiesHeresies; A ; A Dialogue of Dialogue of Comfort against TribulationComfort against Tribulation..

Page 3: Thomas More - Utopia

► Public Life – Member of Public Life – Member of Parliament; Undersheriff of Parliament; Undersheriff of London; London;

► from 1517 secretary to from 1517 secretary to Henry VIII, then Lord Henry VIII, then Lord Chancellor in 1529.Chancellor in 1529.

► Writes against the Lutheran Writes against the Lutheran ‘heresy’‘heresy’

► resigns Chancellorship resigns Chancellorship 1532; 1532;

► imprisoned 1534 for imprisoned 1534 for refusing ‘Act of Succession’; refusing ‘Act of Succession’;

► executed for treason 1535executed for treason 1535

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A Sticky EndA Sticky End

Page 5: Thomas More - Utopia
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UtopiaUtopia

► The text invokes the ‘ideal commonwealth’ tradition – The text invokes the ‘ideal commonwealth’ tradition – e.g. Plato’s e.g. Plato’s RepublicRepublic

► UtopiaUtopia – from Greek – from Greek ou ou (not) + (not) + topostopos (place) = no place (place) = no place► Or Or eutopiaeutopia = happy place = happy place► (other puns – Amaurot the capital, from amauroton – ‘to (other puns – Amaurot the capital, from amauroton – ‘to

make dark or dim’; the river Anyder – ‘waterless’)make dark or dim’; the river Anyder – ‘waterless’)► The comic/satirical tradition The comic/satirical tradition serio ludereserio ludere (‘to play (‘to play

seriously’) – Lucian (2seriously’) – Lucian (2ndnd c. AD Greek writer); Erasmus, c. AD Greek writer); Erasmus, The The Praise of FollyPraise of Folly; Rebelais, ; Rebelais, GargantuaGargantua; Swift, ; Swift, Gulliver’s Gulliver’s TravelsTravels etc. etc.

► Morality and expediency. Can there be an ‘ideal’ society?Morality and expediency. Can there be an ‘ideal’ society?► A means of social and political critique.A means of social and political critique.

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Book One - Some themesBook One - Some themes

► A Traveller’s Tale. Not an ideal ‘city in speech’ (as in A Traveller’s Tale. Not an ideal ‘city in speech’ (as in Plato) Plato)

► Located in the ‘real’ world. Located in the ‘real’ world. ► More and Giles (friend of Erasmus) More and Giles (friend of Erasmus) ► Raphael Hythloday (expert/guide in nonsense)Raphael Hythloday (expert/guide in nonsense)► Speaks Greek rather than LatinSpeaks Greek rather than Latin► Are the views of the character ‘More’ (Morus) those of Are the views of the character ‘More’ (Morus) those of

Thomas More?Thomas More?► sets up a contrast with Europe (esp. England) and Utopia sets up a contrast with Europe (esp. England) and Utopia

(book 2). (book 2). ► Private property versus common ownershipPrivate property versus common ownership► The problem of inequalityThe problem of inequality► Crime and punishmentCrime and punishment

Page 8: Thomas More - Utopia

The Dialogue in book 1The Dialogue in book 1

the relation between philosophy and practice. the relation between philosophy and practice. The life of public service (giving counsel to The life of public service (giving counsel to

Kings) versus the contemplative life.Kings) versus the contemplative life. The corruptions of public life – e.g. the The corruptions of public life – e.g. the

dialogue within the dialogue (the dialogue within the dialogue (the conversation with Cardinal Morton)conversation with Cardinal Morton)

Advising kings against war or material Advising kings against war or material aggrandizement never succeeds aggrandizement never succeeds

More’s response – choose the right play, More’s response – choose the right play, adapt your arguments to the occasionadapt your arguments to the occasion

Page 9: Thomas More - Utopia

Book 2 – Description of Utopia. Book 2 – Description of Utopia. Structure and PracticesStructure and Practices

► Size and Geography – similar to England Size and Geography – similar to England ► Republican structure – election of officialsRepublican structure – election of officials►Work – shared (6 hours per day). No-one idle, Work – shared (6 hours per day). No-one idle,

therefore great productivity and little crime.therefore great productivity and little crime.► Uniform clothing – no competition.Uniform clothing – no competition.► Regulation of population – if cities get too big, Regulation of population – if cities get too big,

then population moved.then population moved.► Colonisation – war declared on those who Colonisation – war declared on those who

resist resist ► Bondsmen and slaves butcher the meat (not Bondsmen and slaves butcher the meat (not

citizens)citizens)

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► Communal living - Common dining rooms (recalls Communal living - Common dining rooms (recalls Plato). ‘the whole island is like a single family’Plato). ‘the whole island is like a single family’

► Restrictions of freedom – no travel without Restrictions of freedom – no travel without permission; no private discussion of political affairspermission; no private discussion of political affairs

► Money only used for contingencies (needed to Money only used for contingencies (needed to fight wars)fight wars)

► Gold used for chamber pots and slaves’ chains.Gold used for chamber pots and slaves’ chains.► Education - Moral philosophy. Not Christian, but Education - Moral philosophy. Not Christian, but

through moral reasoning they are more virtuous through moral reasoning they are more virtuous than Europeans (natural/rational religion) than Europeans (natural/rational religion)

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WarfareWarfare► Treaties – sign of lack of trust.Treaties – sign of lack of trust.► Warfare – an ‘activity fit only for beasts’Warfare – an ‘activity fit only for beasts’► They fight wars only for ‘good reasons’. (just war theory)They fight wars only for ‘good reasons’. (just war theory)► Prefer cunning to bloodshed. (cf. Machiavelli – be as Prefer cunning to bloodshed. (cf. Machiavelli – be as

cunning as a fox and strong as a lion)cunning as a fox and strong as a lion)► Only go to war for limited aim, but will take ‘bitter Only go to war for limited aim, but will take ‘bitter

revenge on those who provoked them’revenge on those who provoked them’► Hire mercenaries – the Zapoletes (‘Venalians’ in Penguin Hire mercenaries – the Zapoletes (‘Venalians’ in Penguin

trans.)– ‘born for battle and spoiling for a fight’trans.)– ‘born for battle and spoiling for a fight’► ‘‘As for how many get killed, the Utopians never worry As for how many get killed, the Utopians never worry

about that, for they think they would deserve well of all about that, for they think they would deserve well of all mankind if they could exterminate from the face of the mankind if they could exterminate from the face of the earth that entire vicious and disgusting race’earth that entire vicious and disgusting race’

► How does this minimise bloodshed?How does this minimise bloodshed?

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Concluding RemarksConcluding Remarks

► Is ‘Utopia’ an ideal society?Is ‘Utopia’ an ideal society?► Is it as moral as Raphael suggests? Are Is it as moral as Raphael suggests? Are

the Utopians morally compromised?the Utopians morally compromised?►can the ‘ideal society’ exist in a non-can the ‘ideal society’ exist in a non-

ideal world?ideal world?►The final passageThe final passage