Utopia

by Thomas More

Utopia


At a glance:

The Work

In response both to the ideals of Renaissance humanism and the New World discoveries, Thomas More described an idealized, imaginary commonwealth in his most famous book, Utopia, which was first published in Latin in December, 1516. Utopia is the name of a highly authoritarian society that suppresses individualism and private property to secure the collective good. While the assertion of individual will is frowned upon in the imaginary Utopia, freedom of thought—but not of expression—is regarded as the chief happiness of life. Although the citizens of Utopia...

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