Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Upton Sinclair, ed. (1878–1968). rn The Cry for Justice: An Anthology of the Literature of Social Protest. 1915.

Utopia

More, Sir Thomas

Sir Thomas More

(One of the great classic Utopias, written by the English statesman, 1478–1535; executed upon Tower Hill, for opposing the will of King Henry VIII. The word “Utopia” means “No Place.” It was first used in this book, and has come to be a general name for pictures of a future society. The book was written in Latin, and first published in Belgium in 1516. The translation here quoted was published in England in 1551)

EVERY Cytie is devided into foure equall partes or quarters. In the myddes of every quarter there is a market place of all maner of things. Thether the workes of every familie be brought into certeyne houses. And everye kynde of thing is layde up severall in bernes or store houses. From hence the father of everye familye, or every householder fetchethe whatsoever he and his have neade of, and carieth it away with him without money, without exchaunge, without any gage, pawne, or pledge. For whye shoulde any thing be denyed unto him? Seynge there is abundance of all things, and that it is not to bee feared, leste anye man wyll aske more then he neadeth. For whie should it be thoughte that that man woulde aske more then anough, which is sewer never to lacke? Certeynely in all kyndes of lyving creatures either feare of lacke dothe cause covetousnes and ravyne, or in man only pryde, which counteth it a glorious thinge to pass and excel other in the superfluous and vayne ostentation of thinges. The whyche kynde of vice amonge the Utopians can have no place.

Nowe I have declared and described unto you, as truelye as I coulde the fourme and ordre of that common wealth, which verely in my judgment is not only the beste, but also that which alone of good right maye claime and take upon it the name of a common wealth or publique weale. For in other places they speake stil of the common wealth. But every man procureth his owne private gaine. Here where nothinge is private, the commen affaires bee earnestlye loked upon.… For there nothinge is distributed after a nyggyshe sorte, neither there is anye poore man or beggar. And thoughe no man have anye thinge, yet everye man is ryche. For what can be more ryche, than to lyve joyfully and merely, without al griefe and pensifenes: not caring for his owne lyving, nor vexed or troubled with his wifes importunate complayntes, nor dreadynge povertie to his sonne, nor sorrowyng for his doughters dowrey?