Thomas more short biography. Biography of thomas more What work did thomas more write

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The article deals with the socio-political views of Thomas More. Particular attention is paid to the presentation of his concept of the state.

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Thomas More is an English humanist philosopher and writer. His main book is "Utopia", in which he draws his ideal society in the form of a fantastic island-state. He follows many thinkers of the Renaissance, who saw in the cult of individualism, which became the ideological core of the Renaissance, limitedness and turned to the understanding of sociality, without which a full existence is impossible and which needs to be improved. He considers the method of building such a society to convince people of the need for such a future. He considers universal human morality to be the main instrument of the life of society.

More saw the Reformation as a threat to the church and society, criticized the religious views of Martin Luther and William Tyndale, and, as Lord Chancellor, prevented the spread of Protestantism in England. He refused to recognize Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England and considered his divorce from Catherine of Aragon invalid. In 1535 he was executed in accordance with the Act of Treason. In 1935 he was canonized in the Catholic Church. Most likely, his views should be characterized as traditionalism, but the revolutionary spirit of his book speaks of his inherent sympathy for innovation, for moderate liberalism.

The main theme of Mora's thoughts was the problems of the socio-political structure. He did not create an original socio-philosophical concept based on a deeply developed theoretical philosophy, however, his meaningful approach to the consideration of social problems is of interest, in which, nevertheless, his attitude to the problem of the relationship between the individual and society is traced. An important place in Mora's worldview is occupied by religious beliefs. On the one hand, he is an exemplary Catholic who opposes Protestantism and the Church of England. On the other hand, he is a humanist who understands the need for scientific thinking, the enlightenment of people of his era. We believe that he is a follower of the Catholic philosopher Thomas Aquinas, who proposed to seek an alliance between religion, science and education. The same position is defended by a number of Muslim theologians.

T. Mor considered the main problem of the socio-political structure to be the question of property, which gives rise to many social ills - inequality, oppression, envy, etc. He saw a cure for social diseases in the replacement of private property with public property. T. More knew well the social and moral life of contemporary England. His sympathy for the plight of the masses was reflected precisely in the book "Utopia", which is permeated with the influence of Plato's ideas, and above all his work "The State".

The most specific feature of the socio-philosophical concept of T. Mora is the anti-individualistic interpretation of social life, which he conceives in his version of the ideal state. Consistent anti-individualism requires the abolition of private property, equalizing everyone in consumption (we later find this idea in the theory of scientific communism of Marxism). And if Plato does not have private property only in the ruling classes, then in the utopian state of T. More it is absent for everyone. T. More tried to reduce the state to a large family, in which there can be no property stratification, because within the framework of the family, private property loses its meaning. At the same time, it is necessary that people realize this loss and accept it.

Following the example of Plato, T. More considers justice and following the laws to be the main pillar of the state. Moreover, the inhabitants of Utopia are subject not so much to legal as to ethical laws: they have very few written laws. It is interesting that such a view on the regulation of public life was expressed by the classics of Marxism-Leninism. The inhabitants of Utopia have their own religion, older than Christianity. Its content is reduced to the belief in the existence of a single divine being (the Parent), spilled throughout the world. Here we see a contradiction in the views of the Catholic More and the ideologue of Utopia. However, such contradictions are also found on a number of other questions of this utopian socialist.

More's methodology for analyzing society is hardly justified. But for its time it was progressive, it showed that there are other ways of social organization. Unfortunately, More did not see other ways of explaining social development, the multidimensionality of historical and sociological knowledge.

Based on the above, the following conclusions can be drawn:

Since T. Mor argues that the imperfection of the individual existence of people in the state is determined by the existing system of property, this actually means an objective approach to the relationship between the individual and society, in which the social whole in the face of social relations affects individuals, turning them into suffering objects.
By changing the social whole, it is possible to achieve a change in individual existence for the better.

Bibliography

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Thomas More(1478-1535) - English humanist, writer, statesman. He studied at Oxford, in one of the corporations that train lawyers. He hesitated for a long time between civil and church service. Finally decided to become a monk and live near the monastery. Until his death, he adhered to a monastic lifestyle: he constantly prayed, observed fasts. However, More's desire to serve his country ended his monastic aspirations. In 1504 he was elected to Parliament, in 1521 he was knighted for "services to the king and England", in 1529 he was appointed Lord Chancellor. A deeply religious man and highly educated in canon law, More opposed King Henry VIII's break with Rome and the establishment of the Church of England. He refused to take the oath to the king, which all representatives of the English knighthood were obliged to give, as it was contrary to his convictions. In 1535 More was imprisoned in the Tower and beheaded. For his loyalty to Catholicism, he was canonized by the Catholic Church and canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935.
Of all the literary and political works of More, his treatise Utopia (1516) is of the greatest importance, containing a description of an ideal city-state where there is no private property, production and life are socialized, labor is a universal obligation. This book has retained its significance in our time, not only as a talented novel, but also as a work of socialist thought of genius in its conception. More created the first coherent socialist system, although developed in the spirit of utopian socialism.
"Utopia" is divided into two parts, little similar in content, but logically inseparable from each other. The first part of More's work is a literary and political pamphlet containing criticism of his contemporary socio-political order: the author denounces the "bloody" legislation on workers, opposes the death penalty and passionately attacks royal despotism and the policy of wars, sharply ridicules the parasitism and debauchery of the clergy. Here he outlines the program of reforms. In the second part, a description of the ideal system is given. More puts a "wise" monarch at the head of the state, allows the existence of slaves to perform menial work. He talks a lot about Greek philosophy, in particular about Plato. The heroes of Utopia are ardent adherents of humanism.
philosophy thomas more briefly
Describing the socio-economic structure of his country, More puts forward exceptionally valuable ideas. First of all, private property has been abolished in Utopia, all exploitation has been abolished. Instead, socialized production is established. This is a big step forward, since Mor's predecessors had socialism of a consumer character. Work in Utopia is obligatory for all, and all citizens are engaged in agriculture in turn until a certain age, agriculture is carried out by an artel, and urban production is built on the family-craft principle - the influence of underdeveloped economic relations in the era of Mora. Utopia is dominated by manual labor, which lasts only 6 hours a day and is not exhausting. The distribution of products is carried out according to needs, without any firm restrictions.
Despite the presence of a king, the state system of the utopians is a democracy: all positions are elective, any of them can be claimed by every adult citizen of the country. The Mor provides the intelligentsia with a leadership role. Women enjoy equal rights with men, in particular the right to education. Although the treatise does not provide a detailed description of the educational system in Utopia, More's pedagogical views are clearly presented: the comprehensive development of the individual, the choice of occupation in accordance with inclinations, the education of patriotism, morality and virtue, the formation of reasonable needs, moderation, contempt for luxury, the combination of learning with work .

MOR Thomas (More) (February 7, 1478, London - July 6, 1535, ibid.), English humanist, statesman and writer; one of the founders of utopianism. Chancellor of England 1529-1532. Being a devoted Catholic, Thomas More refused to take the oath to the king as the "supreme head" of the Church of England, was accused of high treason and executed. Canonized by the Catholic Church (1935). In the essay "Utopia" (1516), containing a description of the ideal structure of the fantastic island of Utopia, More depicted a society where there is no private property and production and life are socialized; labor is the duty of all, distribution occurs according to need.

The son of a wealthy London magistrate, Thomas More received his early education at St. Anthony's Grammar School. At the age of thirteen he was received as a page in the house of the Archbishop of Canterbury, John Morton. In 1492-1494, Thomas More studied at Oxford University, where he became close to the circle of Oxford humanists - John Colet, Thomas Linacre, William Grosin, William Lily. In 1596-1501, Thomas, at the insistence of his father, studied English customary law at the London law corporation Lincoln's Inn. At the same time, More studied classical languages (Latin and Greek), works of the largest ancient and early Christian thinkers (Plato, Aristotle, Augustine). In 1499 he met Erasmus of Rotterdam, with whom he had the closest friendship (in the house of More, Erasmus wrote and dedicated his "Praise of Stupidity" to him).

Around 1502 More began to practice law and teach law. In 1504 he was elected to Parliament for the London merchants. Within the walls of Parliament, he opposed the tax arbitrariness of King Henry VII, for which he fell into disfavor. Fearing reprisals, Thomas More left politics for a while and returned to the practice of law. Along with judicial affairs, More tries himself in the literary field. During these years, he translated from Latin into English the biography of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1510), whose personality and tragic fate he considered instructive for church reformers. In 1510, More was again elected to Parliament, convened by the new king, Henry VIII. At the same time More was appointed deputy city sheriff. In 1515, as part of the English embassy, he was sent to negotiate in Flanders.

In Flanders More began work on the first book of Utopia, which he completed upon returning home; the second book of "Utopia" (actually the story of the supposedly recently discovered island in the ocean) was basically written much earlier. This book immortalized the name of Thomas More. "Utopia" was published at the end of 1516 in Louvain. Its first part contains an analysis of the socio-economic situation in England, sharp criticism of enclosures, economic monopoly, the decay of the English countryside, and the moral decline of society; the second describes the ideal social structure of the fantastic island of Utopia (translated from Greek literally "Nowhere", a place that does not exist; this word invented by More has become a household word). For the first time in the history of mankind, Thomas More depicted a society where private and personal property was eliminated, production and life were socialized, consumption equality was introduced, and educated and virtuous people occupy a privileged position. Work in Utopia is the duty of all citizens, the working day is reduced to six hours, and the hardest work is placed on the shoulders of criminals. The political system of Utopia is based on the principles of election and seniority. The family is organized not so much on kindred, but on production lines. Thomas More denied any revolutionary way to achieve his ideal - he was an opponent of popular movements, seeing in them a destructive beginning and anarchy.

The third, Basel edition of "Utopia" in 1518 was supplemented by More's "Epigrams" - a collection of poetic works of various genres (poems, poems and epigrams proper). Written in Latin for humanist scholars and enlightened monarchs, "Utopia" was translated into modern European languages in the middle of the 16th century and had a great influence on the utopians of subsequent centuries, in particular Morelli, Babeuf, Saint-Simon, Fourier, Cabet. Utopia was translated into Russian in 1789.

Apparently, simultaneously with the "Utopia" was written "History of Richard III", dated 1531, but remained unfinished (published anonymously in 1543 as part of the chronicle of John Harding, then in 1548 and 1550 in the chronicle of Edward Hall, indicating that it belonged to More) . "History of Richard III" is recognized as one of the best works of English prose, it later served as an indirect source for the drama of William Shakespeare.

King Henry VIII, appreciating the critical pathos of "Utopia", appointed its author in 1517 as his adviser. In 1518, More became the royal secretary and a member of the Royal Council, he carried out diplomatic missions, from 1521 he sat in the Star Chamber, the highest judicial institution in England. Then he was appointed assistant treasurer of the kingdom, was awarded a knighthood, and soon received significant land grants.

Thomas More combined humanistic views with sincere devotion to Catholicism. He had a negative attitude towards the Lutheran Reformation, considering it a threat to the Christian unity of Western Europe. In 1521, on behalf of Henry VIII, the treatise "Defence of the Seven Sacraments against Martin Luther" was printed, the editor of which, and possibly the co-author, was More. Luther sent a sharp reply to the king, to which More responded in 1523 with a "Rebuke to Luther", accusing him of inciting the common people to revolt against their legitimate rulers. Numerous anti-Protestant polemical treatises and meditations on religious topics by Thomas More ("Four Essential Subjects", "Supplication of Souls", "Apology", "Dialogue on Consolation and Adversity") influenced the art of English rhetoric, as well as the formation of the style of Jonathan Swift. In 1523, with the approval of the king, More was elected speaker of the House of Commons, in 1525-1529 he removed the post of Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and in October 1529, after the removal of Cardinal Wolsey, More became Lord Chancellor of England.

In May 1532, King Henry VIII, who had taken the side of the Reformation after a conflict with the pope, forced the English clergy to submit to the control of royal authority. A devoted Catholic and staunch supporter of the sovereignty of the pope, More actively defended the rights of the Roman Catholic Church and had to retire. Refusing to recognize the "Act of Supremacy", which proclaimed the king the head of the English church, More was imprisoned in the Tower in April 1534, and the next year accused of treason and executed. In 1886 he was canonized by the Catholic Church, and in 1935 he was canonized as a saint (June 22 and July 6).

Thomas More (Sir Thomas More). Born February 7, 1478 in London - died July 6, 1535 in London. English lawyer, philosopher, humanist writer. Lord Chancellor of England (1529-1532). In 1516, he wrote the book "Utopia", in which he depicted his idea of an ideal system of social organization using the example of a fictional island state.

He refused to recognize Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England and considered his divorce from Catherine of Aragon invalid. In 1535 he was executed in accordance with the Act of Treason. In 1935 he was canonized in the Catholic Church.

Thomas was born on 7 February 1478 to Sir John More, a London judge who was known for his honesty.

More received his primary education at St. Anthony's School.

At the age of 13, he came to John Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury, and for some time served as his page. Thomas's cheerful nature, wit and desire for knowledge impressed Morton, who predicted that More would become "a marvelous man". More continued his education at Oxford, where he studied with Thomas Linacre and William Grocyn, famous lawyers of the time.

In 1494 he returned to London and in 1501 became a barrister.

Mohr had no intention of pursuing a career as a lawyer for the rest of his life. For a long time he could not choose between civil and church service. During his studies at Lincoln's Inn (one of the four colleges of barristers), More decided to become a monk and live near the monastery. Until his death, he adhered to a monastic lifestyle with constant prayers and fasts. However, More's desire to serve his country put an end his monastic aspirations.

In 1504 More was elected to Parliament, and in 1505 he married.

More married for the first time in 1505, to Jane Colt. She was almost 10 years younger than him, and his friends said she was quiet and kind-hearted.

He advised her to get additional education to the one she already received at home, and became her personal mentor in the field of music and literature. More had four children with Jane: Margaret, Elizabeth, Cecile and John.

When Jane died in 1511, he married almost immediately, choosing as his second wife a wealthy widow named Alice Middleton. Alice did not have the reputation of a submissive woman like her predecessor, but rather was known as a strong and direct woman, although Erasmus testifies that the marriage was a happy one.

More and Alice had no children together, but More raised Alice's daughter from his first marriage as his own. In addition, More became the guardian of a young girl named Alice Cresacre, who later married his son, John More. More was a loving father who wrote letters to his children when he was away on legal or government business and encouraged them to write to him more often.

More took a serious interest in the education of women, and his attitude was highly unusual at the time. He believed that women were just as capable of scientific achievement as men, he insisted that his daughters should receive higher education, as well as his son.

In 1520, the reformer Martin Luther published three works: An Appeal to the Christian Nobility of the German Nation, On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church, and On the Freedom of a Christian. In these writings, Luther expounded his doctrine of salvation by faith, rejected the sacraments and other Catholic practices, and pointed out the abuses and pernicious influence of the Roman Catholic Church.

In 1521, Henry VIII responded to Luther's criticism with a manifesto In Defense of the Seven Sacraments, probably written and edited by More. In light of this work, Pope Leo X awarded Henry VIII ("Defender of the Faith") for his efforts in combating Luther's heresy. Martin Luther responded to Henry VIII in print, calling him "a pig, a fool and a liar".

At the request of Henry VIII More compiled a refutation: Responsio Lutherum. It was published at the end of 1523. In the Responsio Mor defended the supremacy of the pope, as well as the sacrament of other ecclesiastical rites. This confrontation with Luther confirmed More's conservative religious tendencies, and since then his work has been devoid of all criticism and satire that could be seen as damaging to the authority of the church.

More's first act in Parliament was to advocate for a reduction in fees in favor of King Henry VII. In retaliation for this, Henry imprisoned Father More, who was released only after the payment of a substantial ransom and Thomas More's self-withdrawal from public life. After the death of Henry VII in 1509 More returned to his political career.

In 1510 he became one of the two sub-sheriffs of London.

In 1511, his first wife dies in childbirth, but More soon remarries.

More came to the attention of King Henry VIII in the 1510s. In 1515 he was sent as part of an embassy to Flanders, who negotiated for the English wool trade. The famous "Utopia" begins with a reference to this embassy.

In 1517, he helped to pacify London, which rebelled against foreigners. In 1518 More becomes a member of the Privy Council. In 1520, he was part of the retinue of Henry VIII during his meeting with King Francis I of France near the city of Calais. In 1521, the prefix "sir" was added to the name of Thomas More - he was knighted for "services to the king and England."

In 1529, the king appointed More to the highest post in the state - Lord Chancellor. For the first time the Lord Chancellor was a native of the bourgeois environment.

Apparently, More was the author of the famous manifesto "In Defense of the Seven Sacraments" (Latin Assertio septem sacramentorum / English Defense of the Seven Sacraments), Henry VIII's answer to Martin Luther. For this manifesto, Pope Leo X granted Henry the title of "Defender of the Faith" (Defensor Fidei) (curiously, long after England broke with the Catholic Church, English monarchs continued to wear this title, and the letters D. F are still present on English coins. ). Thomas More also wrote a reply to Luther under his own name.

The situation with the divorce of Henry VIII led More to rise, then to fall, and ultimately to death.

Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of York and Lord Chancellor of England, was unable to secure a divorce between Henry VIII and Queen Catherine of Aragon and was forced to resign in 1529. The next Lord Chancellor was Sir Thomas More, who by then was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Speaker of the House of Commons. Unfortunately for everyone, Henry VIII did not understand what kind of person More was. Deeply religious and well educated in the field of canon law, More firmly stood his ground: only the pope could annul a marriage consecrated by the church. Clement VII was against this divorce - he was pressured by Charles V of Spain, the nephew of Queen Catherine.

More resigned as Lord Chancellor in 1532, citing poor health.

The real reason for his departure was Henry VIII's break with Rome and the creation of the Anglican Church; More was against it. Moreover, Thomas More was so outraged by England's departure from the "true faith" that he did not appear at the coronation of the king's new wife, Anne Boleyn. Naturally, Henry VIII noticed this. In 1534, Elizabeth Barton, a nun from Kent, dared to publicly denounce the King's break with the Catholic Church. It turned out that the desperate nun corresponded with More, who had similar views, and if he had not fallen under the protection of the House of Lords, he would not have escaped prison. In the same year, Parliament passed the "Act of Supremacy", proclaiming the king as the Supreme Head of the Church, and the "Act of Succession", which included an oath that all representatives of the English knighthood were required to take.

Having taken the oath thus:

1. recognized as legitimate all the children of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn;
2. refused to recognize any authority, whether it be the authority of secular rulers or the princes of the church, except for the authority of kings from the Tudor dynasty.

Thomas More, like Bishop John Fisher of Rochester, was sworn in but refused to take it because it was contrary to his beliefs.

On April 17, 1534, he was imprisoned in the Tower, found guilty under the Act of Treason, and on July 6, 1535, he was beheaded on Tower Hill. Before the execution, he behaved very courageously and joked.

For his loyalty to Catholicism, More was canonized by the Roman Catholic Church and canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935.

Of all the literary and political works of More, the Utopia is the most significant.(published in 1516 by Dirk Martens), and this book has retained its significance for our time - not only as a talented novel, but also as a work of socialist thought, brilliant in its design.

The literary sources of "Utopia" are writings ("State", "Critius", "Timaeus"), travel novels of the 16th century, in particular "Four Voyages" (fr. Quatuor Navigationes) by Amerigo Vespucci, and, to some extent, the works of Chaucer , Langland and political ballads. From Vespucci's "Voyages" the plot of "Utopia" is taken - a meeting with Hytlodeus, his adventures. More created the first coherent socialist system, although developed in the spirit of utopian socialism.

Thomas More called his work "A golden little book, as useful as it is funny about the best organization of the state and about the new island of Utopia."

"Utopia" is divided into two parts, little similar in content, but logically inseparable from each other.

In the first part of the Utopia, not only a critique of the existing order is given, but also a program of reforms, reminiscent of More's earlier, moderate projects; this part obviously served as a screen for the second, where he expressed his innermost thoughts in the form of a fantastic story.

In the second part, More's humanistic tendencies are again evident.

More put the "wise" monarch at the head of the state, allowing slaves for menial work; he talks a lot about Greek philosophy, in particular about Plato: the heroes of Utopia themselves are ardent adherents of humanism. But in the description of the socio-economic structure of his fictional country, Mor gives the key points for understanding his position.

First of all, in Utopia, private property is abolished, all exploitation is abolished. Instead, socialized production is established. This is a big step forward, since the socialism of previous socialist writers had a consumer character.

Labor is obligatory in Utopia for everyone, and all citizens are engaged in agriculture in turn until a certain age, agriculture is carried out by an artel, but urban production is built on the family-craft principle - the influence of underdeveloped economic relations in the era of Mora.

Utopia is dominated by manual labor, although it lasts only 6 hours a day and is not exhausting. More says nothing about the development of technology. In connection with the nature of production, there is no exchange in the state of Mora, there is also no money, they exist only for trade relations with other countries, and trade is a state monopoly.

Distribution of products in "Utopia" is carried out according to needs, without any hard restrictions. The political system of the utopians, despite the presence of a king, is a complete democracy: all positions are elected and can be occupied by everyone, but, as befits a humanist, More gives the intelligentsia a leading role. Women enjoy full equality. The school is alien to scholasticism, it is built on a combination of theory and industrial practice.

Considering that the existing society is unreasonable, Moore at the same time declares that it is a conspiracy of the rich against all members of society.

More's socialism fully reflects the situation around him, the aspirations of the oppressed masses of the city and countryside. In the history of socialist ideas, his system broadly raises the question of organizing social production, moreover, on a national scale. It is also a new stage in the development of socialism because it recognizes the importance of the state organization for building socialism, but More could not at one time see the prospect of a classless society (in More’s Utopia slavery is not abolished), which implements the principle “from each according to abilities, to each according to his needs” without any involvement of state power, which has become superfluous.

Apparently, Mor did not intend to pursue a career in law all his life. In particular, he hesitated for a long time between civil and church service. During his apprenticeship at Lincoln's Inn (one of four law firms that train lawyers), More decided to become a monk and live near a monastery. Until his death, he adhered to a monastic lifestyle with constant prayers and fasts. However, More's desire to serve his country ended his monastic aspirations. In 1504 More was elected to Parliament, and in 1505 he married.

Family life

More married for the first time in 1505, to Jane Colt. She was almost 10 years younger than him, and his friends said she was quiet and kind-hearted. Erasmus of Rotterdam advised her to receive additional education to that which she had already received at home, and became her personal mentor in the field of music and literature. More had four children with Jane: Margaret, Elizabeth, Cecile and John. When Jane died in 1511, he married almost immediately, choosing as his second wife a wealthy widow named Alice Middleton. Alice did not have the reputation of a submissive woman like her predecessor, but rather was known as a strong and direct woman, although Erasmus testifies that the marriage was a happy one. More and Alice had no children together, but More raised Alice's daughter from his first marriage as his own. In addition, More became the guardian of a young girl named Alice Cresacre, who later married his son, John More. More was a loving father who wrote letters to his children when he was away on legal or government business and encouraged them to write to him more often. More took a serious interest in the education of women, and his attitude was highly unusual at the time. He believed that women were just as capable of scientific achievement as men, he insisted that his daughters receive higher education, as well as his sons.

Religious controversy

Thomas More called his work " A golden little book, as useful as it is funny, about the best organization of the state and about the new island of Utopia».

"Utopia" is divided into two parts, little similar in content, but logically inseparable from each other.

The first part of More's work is a literary and political pamphlet; here the most powerful moment is the criticism of his contemporary socio-political order: he castigates the "bloody" legislation on workers, opposes the death penalty and passionately attacks royal despotism and the policy of wars, sharply ridicules the parasitism and debauchery of the clergy. But Pestilence attacks particularly sharply on the enclosures of communal lands. enclosures), ruining the peasantry: “Sheep,” he wrote, “ate the people.” In the first part of the Utopia, not only a critique of the existing order is given, but also a program of reforms, reminiscent of More's earlier, moderate projects; this part obviously served as a screen for the second, where he expressed his innermost thoughts in the form of a fantastic story.

In the second part, More's humanistic tendencies are again evident. More put the "wise" monarch at the head of the state, allowing slaves for menial work; he talks a lot about Greek philosophy, in particular about Plato: the heroes of Utopia themselves are ardent adherents of humanism. But in the description of the socio-economic structure of his fictional country, Mor gives the key points for understanding his position. First of all, in Utopia, private property is abolished, all exploitation is abolished. Instead, socialized production is established. This is a big step forward, since the socialism of previous socialist writers had a consumer character. Labor is obligatory in Utopia for everyone, and all citizens are engaged in agriculture in turn until a certain age, agriculture is carried out by an artel, but urban production is built on the family-craft principle - the influence of underdeveloped economic relations in the era of Mora. Utopia is dominated by manual labor, although it lasts only 6 hours a day and is not exhausting. More says nothing about the development of technology. In connection with the nature of production, there is no exchange in the state of Mora, there is also no money, they exist only for trade relations with other countries, and trade is a state monopoly. Distribution of products in "Utopia" is carried out according to needs, without any hard restrictions. The political system of the utopians, despite the presence of a king, is a complete democracy: all positions are elected and can be occupied by everyone, but, as befits a humanist, More gives the intelligentsia a leading role. Women enjoy full equality. The school is alien to scholasticism, it is built on a combination of theory and industrial practice.

All religions in Utopia are tolerant, and only atheism is prohibited, for adherence to which they were deprived of the right to citizenship. In relation to religion, More occupies an intermediate position between people of a religious and rationalistic worldview, but in matters of society and the state, he is a pure rationalist. Recognizing that the existing society is unreasonable, More at the same time declares that it is a conspiracy of the rich against all members of society. More's socialism fully reflects the situation around him, the aspirations of the oppressed masses of the city and countryside. In the history of socialist ideas, his system broadly raises the question of organizing social production, moreover, on a national scale. It is also a new stage in the development of socialism because it recognizes the importance of the state organization for building socialism, but More could not at one time see the prospect of a classless society (in More’s Utopia slavery is not abolished), which implements the principle “from each according to abilities, to each according to his needs” without any involvement of state power, which has become superfluous.

Political Views

The main cause of all vices and disasters is private property and the conflicts of interests of the individual and society, rich and poor, luxury and poverty, caused by it. Private property and money give rise to crimes that cannot be stopped by any laws and sanctions.
Utopia (ideal country) is a kind of federation of 54 cities.
The device and management of each of the cities are the same. There are 6,000 families in the city; in a family - from 10 to 16 adults. Each family is engaged in a certain craft (transfer from one family to another is allowed). To work in the countryside adjacent to the city, "village families" (from 40 adults) are formed, in which a resident of the city must work for at least two years
Officials in Utopia are elected. Every 30 families elect a philarch (siphogrant) for a year; at the head of 10 philarchs is the protofilarch (tranibor). Protophilarchs are elected from among the scientists. They form the city senate headed by the prince. The prince (adem) is elected by the philarchs of the city from candidates proposed by the people. The position of prince is irremovable, unless he is suspected of striving for tyranny. The most important affairs of the city are decided by the people's assemblies; they also elect the majority of officials and hear their reports.
There is no private property in Utopia and consequently disputes between Utopians are rare and crimes few; therefore, the Utopians do not need extensive and complex legislation.
The Utopians strongly abhor war as a truly brutal act. Unwilling, however, to reveal, if necessary, their inability to it, they are constantly practicing in the military sciences. Usually mercenaries are used for war.
Utopians recognize as a completely just cause for war the case when a people, while owning in vain and in vain a territory that it does not use itself, nevertheless refuses to use and possess it to others, who, according to the law of nature, must feed on it.

Notes

Literature

Kudryavtsev O.F. Humanistic ideas about justice and equality in Thomas More's "Utopia" // History of socialist doctrines. - M., 1987. - S. 197-214.
Cicolini L. S. Dialogues of Lukin and More's "Utopia" in Giunti's edition (1519) // Middle Ages. - M., 1987. Issue. 50. S. 237-252.
Shtekli A.E. The Origins of Totalitarianism: Is Thomas More Guilty? // Anarchy and power. - M., 1992.
Osinovsky I. N. Erasmus of Rotterdam and Thomas More: from the history of Renaissance Christian humanism: (a textbook on the Middle Ages for students of Moscow State Pedagogical University). - M., 2006. - 217 p.