Utopie

The Utopia by English humanist Thomas More, first published in Latin in 1516, gave its name to a whole genre of reflections on the ideal order of human society. More builds on the basic communitarian principles of ancient Christian doctrine, drawing inspiration from ancient literature, reports of overseas discoveries, and the writings of his friend Erasmus of Rotterdam. He does not shy away from irony and puts the narrative of the customs of the inhabitants of the island of Utopia (from the Greek ú-topos, no-place), together with reflections on the possibilities of regulating human pride and reforming criminal law, into the mouth of a not very trustworthy sailor, Raphael Hythlodaeus. The chosen genre of the Platonic dialogue allows him to present social problems from different perspectives without diminishing their urgency.