Sir Thomas More's Utopia and the transformation of England from absolute monarchy to egalitarian society

Abstract

In Utopia, Sir Thomas More presents to his readers an idealistic portrayal of a nation employing an egalitarian government. Through his spokesperson, the sagacious and well‐traveled Raphael Hythloday, More describes and evaluates Utopian politics and social values, including attitudes toward money, work, land ownership, punishment of crime, and poverty. This essay examines parallels between Utopian society and the sociopolitical structure in 16th‐century England during the reign of King Henry VIII. Through his description of Utopia, the reader may discern More's attitude toward contemporary political situations as well as social laws and customs in Tudor England. The author writes, for instance, about the dangers of enclosures (which inevitably led to poverty, unemployment, and crime), the unfairness of capital punishment for theft, the problems that might ensue from capitalism, and the inequitableness of the wide disparity that existed between the wealthy and the poor. Although More writes about an idealistic and fictitious nation (Utopia) and 16th‐century England, his ideas transcend time and are thus valid in today's society.