More in conversation with
traveller Raphael Hytholoday
and fictional friend Peter
There is something particularly
English in the cause of theft
Direct criticism
of enclosure
Stops the course of agriculture, destroys
houses, towns, parks and forests just for the
nobility
Poor but numerous families
Social and economic structure causes stealing
Hanging is not just for petty theft
Critiques social system;
enclosure, heirarchy, waste
and laziness, class
structure, attitudes to work
Critiques legal system; punishment of
theft by hanging is neither effective nor
just
critiques economic system; private property and money
Humanism; we should create good
citizens. Morality and expediency; what
is just and what works. The role of the
kings counsel; should be able to tell the
truth regardless of social inequality.
Book II
Hytholoday describes commonwealth of Utopia
No private property
Respected as it is everyones.
Eat healthily together in common halls
Leisure time each day
Education - lectures
Creates good citizens
Value things because they are useful not rare
eg. Glass
Invert the value of things eg. Gold
for toilet seats and slaves chains
Slavery
People from near by towns come to be slaves
Slavery as punishment for crimes
Adultry
If twice, killed
Euthanasia is part of Utopia
Worship one God but tolerant
One Prince for life
Deals in senate with
everyday matters, can remit
or lighten punishment
20 tranibors/protophylarchs
One per ten phylarchss/syphogrants
200 phylarchs/syphogrants each over 30 households
10-16 adults in city, rural less than forty, eldest man and woman are rulers
13 priests and one high priest
General council = three
representatives from each city
Utopians act as magistrates for other countries, secret agents work
in enemy countries and serve as assasins