Thomas More-Utopia

1. Utopia-The Last Great Christian Synthesis of the Renaissance

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. Divided Property and Its Affects

2.1. 54 towns, each with 6000 households

2.2. each town has a mayor, no private ownership

2.3. every house has 2 slaves

3. Social Critique of Great Britain

3.1. no private ownership which mocked the fact that Great Britain had a king

3.2. Utopia had religious tolerance and equality of all people; there was no certain things to divide people

4. Happiness

4.1. There was tradition and solid rules that people knew they had to follow so this allowed for no confusion.

4.2. The people found happiness in their leisure time while studying. Hence, happiness is found in knowledge.

5. Overview of Utopia

5.1. -Thoman More's Utopia is a Christian-humanist view of an ideal society.

5.2. -More does not simply offer a theoretical view, but provides specifics for how to create this world.

5.3. -Utopian offers a Christianized form of Plato's Republic.

6. Humor and Parody

6.1. The title Utopia means Nowhere

6.2. Each community government group is called sty.

7. Working Life in Utopia

7.1. every citizen has to learn one trade: weaving, carpentry, metalsmithing, masonry; learn on your own time

8. Use of Slavery (Why?)

8.1. these people are from other countries and Utopian criminals; released for good behavior

9. Government

9.1. one mayor for each town, no private ownership

9.2. no locks on doors and people rotated from house to house every ten years