Utopia Free online reading

First published in 1516, Utopia creates a vision of the perfect society. Thomas More was the first great thinker to bring the idea of a utopian society to the forefront of western thought. More's Utopia is considered to be one of the most influential works in western literature, introducing the idea that all men are created equal and should be treated with equal respect.

Within Utopia, the listener is taken to an island where there is an idealistic community with complete social harmony. In Utopia, the community owns all property and everyone works and contributes to society which has a balance of religious and social tolerance. Throughout history, Thomas More's Utopia has been the inspiration of many social movements. Although many of More's critics believe this type of utopia to be unachievable in human societies, his work does paint a picture of what life could be like if it were possible.