Utopia-Thomas More
by Grace Horrocks
1. Christian Synthesis
1.1. The Christian aspect of the synthesis is Christ's gospel of caring for the poor, the oppressed and the downtrodden
1.2. The Platonic, Republican tradition is the Greek aspect of the synthesis
1.3. More wrote Utopia with a comedic tone, allowing him to speak his truth while telling a deeper story
2. Property Division
2.1. 45 towns, 6000 households, which are rotated within the citizens every 10yrs
3. Slavery
3.1. Two slaves per household
3.2. Slaves are either foreigners or criminals
4. government system
4.1. no lawyers; loose ideas of election
5. Overview
5.1. Thomas More's Utopia is a Christian humanist view of an ideal society (the power to make change within this world lies within us)
5.2. More does not simply offer a theoretical view, but provides specifics for how to create this world
5.3. Utopia offers a Christianized form of Plato's Republic
6. Humor and Parody
6.1. Utopia means nowhere
6.2. The local political system is called a sty
7. Working Life
7.1. Agriculture
7.1.1. Everyone is taught this and for two years at a time must do this work (men and women both)
7.2. Essential Trade
7.2.1. Weaving, Carpentry, metalsmithing, and masonry
8. Achieving happiness
8.1. ease of divorce
8.2. religious tolerance
8.2.1. several religions on the island: moon-worshipers, sunworshipers, planet-worshipers, ancestor worshipers, monotheists
8.2.2. Atheists are the only ones despised on this island because they represent a threat to the island