Utopia

Utopia by Thomas More (1516)

The book that gave us the word "utopia" — literally "no place." More describes an ideal island society with communal property, religious tolerance, and a six-hour workday. But is he serious, or is it all an elaborate joke?

Historical Significance:
Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor of England (later beheaded by Henry VIII for refusing to acknowledge the king's supremacy over the Church), wrote Utopia in Latin in 1516. The work invented a genre: the utopian novel. More's imaginary island has no private property, no lawyers, and universal education — radical ideas for the 16th century that influenced socialist thought for centuries. The deliberate ambiguity of whether More endorsed or satirized his fictional society has generated 500 years of debate. The word "utopia" — a pun on the Greek "eu-topos" (good place) and "ou-topos" (no place) — perfectly captures this ambiguity.

This public domain classic was originally published in 1516. Free to read and share.