In addition to the magistracy, slavery is perhaps the most distinct social feature in Utopia. However, the magistrates love their people, and are both just and humane. Policies are in place to protect the Utopians from tyranny, political corruption, and rash decision-making for example, magistrates who hold consultations about the commonwealth outside of the council or the place of the common election are sentenced to death. The Philarchs, as well as their superiors, the Archphilarchs and Prince, often meet to discuss the state of the commonwealth, including any problems among the commoners, though these seldom arise. The Utopians are overseen and encouraged in their work by magistrates known as Philarchs, elected by the people themselves. The only offense for which there is a prescribed punishment is adultery: a person who commits adultery once is forced into bondage, and a person who commits the offense twice is sentenced to death. There are few laws in Utopia, and lawyers are banned from the commonwealth for being too cunning in their interpretations of the law. When the Utopians are not working, eating, or sleeping, they are free to use their time as they please.

All Utopians work at both farming and at least one other craft, and they work for at least six hours each day. The Utopians live together in patriarchal families with no fewer than ten and no more than sixteen members (not counting children). Without private property, Hythloday says, people don’t cultivate their pride so much as their nation, which is like a thriving household or family. The foundation of Utopian society is this: the citizens of Utopia own nothing individually but share the resources of their nation collectively, from land to housing to bread and wine also, money does not exist in Utopia (indeed, the Utopians loathe gold as a useless metal). The cities are all virtually identical to one another-prosperous, conveniently laid out-but Amaurote is the capital because of its central location. At More’s request, Hythloday describes the island in great detail. Hythloday then begins his discourse on Utopia. He speculates that no nation with private property or money can ever be justly governed. Hythloday goes on to say that, as a counselor, he would be forced to approve of bad laws and policies or else go mad.

He imagines helping an empire-building French king like Charles the VIII or Louis the VII wage his wars of conquest: if Hythloday were to suggest that the king cease his wars and focus on domestic matters, what would happen? More concedes that the king would not be grateful for such advice. Everyone at the table disagrees with Hythloday’s ideas-that is, until Cardinal Morton approves them, which suggests that the men surrounding the Cardinal are just self-absorbed flatterers.Īt the end of this story, More says that he still believes that if Hythloday were to serve as the counselor of a prince, he would greatly benefit his nation. Hythloday instead proposes that thieves be forced to labor as punishment, which would spare them their lives and also serve the public good. Idleness, he says, causes poverty and misery. Specifically, he indicts the pride and greed of aristocrats and landowners as a great cause of idleness among the lower classes. Hythloday counters that the punishment is disproportionate to the crime in such a case moreover, he argues that, instead of killing its thieves, England should change the social conditions that breed thieves in the first place. There a lawyer praised England for severely punishing its thieves (with the death penalty). More and Giles are so impressed with Hythloday that they encourage him to go into the service of a prince as his counselor, but Hythloday has his doubts: princes are too interested chivalry and war to heed wisdom, and his fellow counselors would be proud and corrupt.īy way of illustration, Hythloday recounts a dinner he had at Cardinal John Morton’s table in England years earlier. Moreover, it was in the New World that he came into contact with the Utopians, an island people who live in what Hythloday thinks to be the most perfectly organized commonwealth in the world. Hythloday, we learn, sailed the world alongside the great historical explorer Amerigo Vespucci, and he even traveled to the New World by way of Asia. More, Giles, and Hythloday walk together to More’s house, and in his garden the three men talk at length. More is returning home from church one day when he runs into Giles, who is speaking with an old man called Raphael Hythloday. More then travels to Antwerp, where he takes up residence and befriends an honest, learned citizen of that city named Peter Giles. When Utopia opens, the character Thomas More is in the Netherlands, serving as an ambassador sent by King Henry VIII of England to hold negotiations concerning the English wool trade.

Peter giles utopia