Thomas More paints a beautiful fantasy for the reader in Utopia where he creates a world where society as a whole trumps the interest of a single individual. In Utopia, the level of equality is unimaginable to a society like any on this planet and dishonesty and hate were unheard-of. The word “Utopia” is a connotation between the Greek word “eutopia”, which appropriately translates to "happy place", and utopia which means literally "nowhere." I believe that Thomas More’s purpose in writing this was to not only remove himself from the unsettled culture he was living in during the sixteenth century but also his fellow citizens.
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Utopia – VALUE = HUMAN LIFE
“Wherever there is private property, where everything is measured in terms of money, it is hardly ever possible for the common good to be served with justice and prosperity.” (46)
“Where everyone tries to get clear title to whatever he can scrape together, then however abundant things are a few men divide everything up among themselves, leaving everyone else in poverty.” (47)
“If (private property) remains, there will also always remain a distressing and unavoidable burden of poverty and anxiety on the backs of the largest and best part of the human race.” (47)
“The very essence of humanity is to relieve the distress of others, eliminate sadness from their lives, and restore them to a joyful life, that is, to pleasure.” (82)
“Here, where everything belongs to everyone, no one doubts that (as long as care is taken that the public storehouses are full) nothing whatever will be lacking to anyone for his own use.” (133)
“These workers are driven to toil without profit or gain in the present; they are crushed by the thought that they will be poverty-stricken in their old age, for their daily wages are not enough for that very day, much less can they accumulate any surplus which might be put aside.” (131)
“What is taking place is nothing but a conspiracy of the rich…who look out for themselves under the pretext of serving the commonwealth.” (132)
“The prince and parent of all plagues, pride.” (133)
“Pride measures prosperity not by her own advantages but by the disadvantages of others.”
FREE TO CHOOSE
“By pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it.” (2)
Impetus behind the free market:
*Voluntary exchange
“If an exchange between two parties is voluntary, it will not take place unless both believe they will benefit from it.” (13)
free to make your own choices…
“the system under which people make their own choices-and bear most of the consequences of their decisions is the system that gave (people) the incentive to transform our society.” (138)
“There were many losers along the way…they knew they were taking chances. And win or lose, society as a whole benefitted from their willingness to take a chance.” (138)
“the most basic instinct of all human beings “
“The uniform, constant, and uninterrupted effort of every man to better his condition.” (144)
“When the law interferes with people’s pursuit of their own values, they will try to find a way around. They will evade the law, they will break the law, or they will leave the country.” (145)
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