Thomas More was an outstanding humanist in England during the European Renaissance. He was born in 1478. He was sentenced to death for defying King Henry VIII on religious issues and had to go to the guillotine calmly in 1535. Most of the humanists in the revival period were relatively advanced in thinking, opposed to the medieval concept of abstinence and theocracy, insisted on putting people first, believed in the power of people, and strived to satisfy people’s emotions and interests. Of course, Moore also had the above characteristics. However, due to the majority of humanities After all, activists are mainly representatives of the emerging bourgeoisie, and it is impossible for them to achieve a greater degree of unity with the masses of the people in terms of interests. The reason why Moore surpassed his peers and is still famous today, and his works have not lost their practical significance is precisely because It can be highly concerned about the lives of the people. In this immortal book, he made a generous statement and spoke out for the dire pains suffered by the British toiling masses at that time. Not only that, he also pointed out the root cause of this pain, And put forward specific methods and measures to completely solve once and for all what he considers to be a major social problem of universality. Opinion. When Moore was studying in college, he already had a profound attainment in the study of Greek and Latin classical literature. Desideri Aous

Erasmus [about 146-1536]) He became an irresistible acquaintance, repeatedly discussing issues and exchanging knowledge. The things in the books and the communication with teachers and friends were of great help to his mental growth. And more importantly, he later became an experienced, knowledgeable, He is also a politician and social activist who pays attention to new things. He is an Englishman who works for the government of his own country. He has a direct observation and a deep understanding of the sufferings of his compatriots under the autocratic rule of the Tudor dynasty. For example, the King of England Accumulate in every possible way, plunder and plunder, use harsh punishments, and kill people like hemp; he is warlike and warlike in foreign countries, does not speak faith, and tries to dominate for a while. What is most concerned about and eager to correct is that a large number of farmers were violently driven out of their own land and a series of serious consequences caused by it. The wool needed for weaving woolen cloth. This is the so-called enclosure movement. Thousands of farmers were forced to leave their homes where they lived for many generations, unable to find employment, and wandered around, so that they either starved to death in gullies or became bandits. In the King of England Under the bloody rule of the government, vagrancy is a crime, begging is a crime, and stealing is of course even more a crime. Collaborating with the reactionary government, exploiting and suppressing the working people. More's description of the so-called "sheep cannibalism" in the early days of primitive accumulation of capital in his book is very realistic, and readers are moved by it. Marx wrote in "Das Kapital" Partially cited in the book. More’s dissatisfaction with and criticism of current affairs has reached the point of being extremely frank. However, because the Henry VIII he faced was a stubborn and cruel tyrant, he felt that if he used concealed pretexts to state his own It may have a good effect. This method is quite similar to the main essays of ancient Chinese poets. Unfortunately, it still has not achieved the desired effect. It just makes his book passed down to future generations as a literary masterpiece, especially as a masterpiece in the history of socialist thought. It is a great document; it is also the main reason for the author's fame for hundreds of years. More wrote it in 1516, taking a very serious attitude, using the Latin that was common in the academic circles at that time, but the names, names, Place names and other proper names are invented. "Utopia"

The word (Utopia) itself is invented according to the ancient Greek. There are four vowels in the six letters. It sounds very loud, but it refers to the "land of nothing". , does not exist in the objective world. Obviously, Moore is a person with ambition and ideals. His motivation for writing is positive, and he is eager to realize his ambitions and ideals. However, utopian socialism has become synonymous with utopian socialism , Utopia was equated with utopia by people in future generations. This may not have been expected by More. His era was a great era of geographical discovery. New sea routes, new lands, and new peoples all emerged together, making Europeans His vision suddenly opened, his prejudices were broken, and his mind was liberated. In such an atmosphere, More narrated a utopia from the mouth of a navigator. Part, the first part talks about an irrational society, which is obvious to those who are familiar with the history of this period in Britain. Ingenious, vague words, using the insinuation method of intermingling reality and fiction, so that the stubborn and stubborn King of England could not question the author. The second part depicts Utopia, an ideal country, which is in sharp contrast with the content of the first part. The author talks about the perfect society in the future All the assumptions are included in this part. The following six aspects will be discussed separately:

a public property Public ownership of property is the most prominent feature of Utopia, and it is also the most valuable element in Moore’s socialist thought. Moore asserted that private ownership is the root of all evils. If private ownership exists, it is impossible to eradicate greed, litigation, plunder, war and all factors of social unrest . Under this system, the vicious and cunning people always take advantage and get the most wealth. They are a minority in the population. As for the simple and sincere working people who make great contributions to society, they are poor and poor. Asange. There is no more unfair thing in the world. In Utopia, all social wealth is shared by everyone. No matter what products, food or use, they all gather in several designated markets in each city. Every family goes to the market to get all the things they need, without paying money or any price, and there is no limit on the quantity, but no one takes more, because Utopia has abundant and inexhaustible supplies. It is superfluous. In short, Utopia implements public ownership of property and distribution according to needs. The premise is that the materials are very sufficient and the products are very rich. Between each city, all materials are shared equally, and there is no need for compensation. The whole utopia is a big communist family.

Two productive labor Readers can't help asking, where did Utopia's countless products come from? The answer is that this is inseparable from the productive labor system strictly enforced by Utopia. More never used the term productive labor, but we found that all labor in Utopia is used to increase national wealth, improve social welfare, and benefit all The improvement of the people's basic necessities of life, food, housing, and transportation, so this kind of labor is productive. Ingenious crafts, items that are only for luxury enjoyment and not beneficial to the national economy and people's livelihood are all prohibited, and labor is not allowed to be spent on them. Utopia, except for a very small number of people, everyone must participate in this kind of useful labor. The first is agricultural labor. But in addition, each person must learn a special craft; after learning one, he is willing to learn two. Let them do what they want. They learn weaving, smelting, carpentry or masonry. These are industries that are closely related to improving people's lives. Utopia has no parasites such as nobles and landlords who only want to enjoy themselves. People who beg for a living. Although the Utopians only work six hours a day, their products are very rich.

Three agriculture-based The people of Utopia have firmly established the concept of farming as the center, and pay special attention to agricultural labor. Regardless of gender, they receive agricultural education in school and practice in the fields. Every citizen in the city must live in the countryside for two years to farm For industry. Those who are willing to work in agriculture can apply to live in the countryside for a few more years. If urban citizens go sightseeing in the suburbs of the city, they must participate in local agricultural labor in order to get food supply. All this shows that agriculture is a very respected labor. They Farming, pay attention to the use of animal power, and have all kinds of farm tools. They cherish the grains distributed to each person very much. The grains are only for food, and they are not allowed to make wine. They have a correct estimate in advance of grain consumption, but they are always lenient in producing grain and raising livestock, preferring to use the surplus for the benefit of neighboring areas, but never allowing waste.

Four City Planning The urban planning of Utopia is also quite noteworthy. First, the urban population is strictly limited and must not be overly concentrated. Except for the suburbs, each city is only required to have 6,000 households, and the number of adults in each household ranges from ten to sixteen at most. . If the limit is exceeded, the excess population will be relocated to sparsely populated cities. If the entire Utopia is overpopulated, it will be migrated to neighboring foreign areas to open up wasteland and engage in production. The issue of population density has received certain attention in Utopia. The city is divided into four equal parts, each with a market (goods warehouse and food supply station)

, Hospitals and public canteens (Utopians are accustomed to eating collectively in such canteens).Of course, all these facilities are provided free of charge to all citizens. The city streets are spacious, with a width of 20 feet, which is convenient for pedestrians and vehicles. The construction of residential areas has specific specifications. Every household can freely enter , and the housing must be replaced every ten years by lottery, so as to completely abolish private ownership. Utopians spend a lot of energy on greening the city. . Five health People in Utopia regard health as a major issue. There are four hospitals in each city, each covering an area as large as a small town, with perfect equipment, complete medicines, experienced doctors, very good service attitude, and warm care for patients. Take care, so that they are willing to be hospitalized for treatment. Utopians take measures to ensure the supply of clean drinking water and food. They pay attention to maintaining public sanitation to prevent air pollution and prevent the spread of diseases. Utopians have an hour of entertainment in addition to six hours of work a day Activities. They have enough time for rest and sleep. The author pointed out that the Utopian people are in good health and do not need much medicine, but they attach great importance to medical knowledge and the writings on this aspect.

Six academic research Utopians give an important position to academic research and national education. Those who engage in academic research must be strictly selected, first of all they must be recommended by priests (they have 13 priests in each city) , and by a secret ballot of the executive officer Grant. Those who conduct academic research must devote themselves to it, so they do not need to participate in physical labor. However, if they are not qualified for research work, they still work. On the contrary, a laborer , If you do self-study, learn very well, and have outstanding grades, you can stop doing your own crafts and focus on learning. Anyone who goes abroad to serve as a diplomatic envoy must be a learned person. For other important public offices, including the heads of cities The same is true of the requirements of the post. Utopians have a characteristic in their public life, that is, open academic reports are held every morning; full-time researchers must participate, and ordinary men and women are free to listen to the lectures. The ancient European works brought by them, whether in philosophy, literature, history, or science (such as medicine, botany), etc., are carefully preserved, most of which are classics. They learn ancient Greek very quickly, so they can Read these books. But they do not focus on book knowledge, but both theory and practice. For foreign technologies, they not only understand the theory, but also pay more attention to hands-on experiments. They promote education and spare no effort. Any child should go to school, through learning They read in the language of the motherland, and learn farming and labor. They not only require children and young people to study for knowledge, but also pay attention to cultivating their moral character.

As for general social education, it focuses on the promotion of public morality, collective responsibility, and proper entertainment in order to cultivate a good social atmosphere. In this regard, priests play a certain role, and more importantly, it seems that all citizens observe each other, Encourage each other to consciously abide by discipline and safeguard the public interest. They also teach and punish those who commit serious crimes. Slavery. Alcoholism, gambling, promiscuous sexual relations, are all strictly prohibited. The above introduces some of the main contents of the book. These insights were published in Europe more than 460 years ago. Combined with its background at that time, readers cannot but admire the progressive significance of More’s social and political thoughts. As far as the issue of public ownership is concerned, Compared with his predecessors, More's views have taken a big step forward. Some commentators pointed out that More had been familiar with Plato's "Republic", and his view of public ownership was inspired by "Republic". Even so , Moore was not limited by this inspiration, he put forward his own new insights. At least two places in "The Republic" mentioned that the public ownership of wives and children was implemented in the rank of guards, and the family was abolished. In Utopia, by kinship The formed family is the basic unit of social production. If the family does not exist, the whole society will disintegrate, so More does not advocate the abolition of the family at all. In the "Republic", the guard class tries to prevent poverty in their country. and richness, for poverty breeds meanness, rough workmanship, and rebellion, and richness breeds luxury, laziness, and the pursuit of oddities. More, however, believed that when property is plundered by a few, the majority is impoverished. It is a social disaster to live without a living. Poverty of this nature must be opposed, but he believes that it should be opposed from the source of poverty, not from the consequences of poverty. Similarly, More opposed What is more important is the wealth of a few people, instead of unconditionally opposing the rich. On the contrary, all citizens live a very rich life, which is exactly what Moore is looking for. Is there a necessary connection between wealth and laziness?Moore thinks there is no necessary connection. The country of Utopia is very rich, even gold is as cheap as dung, but the people are working hard, although they only have to work six hours a day due to sufficient supplies. They spend their spare time on Learning is used for legitimate entertainment and not idle. In More's ideal society, there are both labor tasks to create collective wealth and learning tasks to improve knowledge and technical levels. These are the "great old men" praised by Lenin. proposed by visionaries"

①Thoughts are commendable. Plato could not foresee a rich public ownership society, but believed that wealth would inevitably bring laziness. He limited public ownership to a social class. But More wanted to promote a public The country. More's basic thesis is: private property is the root of all evil in society. The depth of this argument is far beyond what Plato can understand. However, after all, More is a child of his time, and his views have great The limitations of the times. It was written and published in 1516. At that time, natural science had not yet been liberated from the shackles of theology, and although the production technology had undergone great changes since the Crusades, it was basically still in the medieval handicraft period. The author Although it is possible to imagine an ideal society in which products are inexhaustible and everyone can distribute according to their needs, it is impossible to imagine a rapid increase in productivity. What Moore likes to talk about is the handicraft production with the family as the basic economic unit .Utopia can basically export only some raw materials, such as wool, flax, wood, dyes, rawhide, yellow wax, oil, honey, grain, livestock, etc. The clothes worn by Utopia people are simple and simple, and they also advocate Frugality. In short, Utopia generally retains the characteristics of the natural economy, and its level of productivity development is equivalent to that of Britain in the early sixteenth century. More did not see the importance of productivity for social development. More's future ideal society is both architecture In the handicraft family workshop, of course, it is impossible to realize a public ownership society based on rich material wealth. His assumptions are just a reflection of his social and economic conditions at that time. People in Utopia need to solve the problems of heavy and dirty labor in their lives. Question. According to Moore, these are done by slaves. There are quite a few slaves in Utopia, at least two slaves per farm household. Therefore, readers can’t help but get the impression that this ideal society is so contemptuous. The untouchables of ordinary citizens. This is obviously unequal, and it is in line with the ideal society. More can say that some of the slaves are criminals. This answer is still unsatisfactory. It can be seen that More still has The remnants of the idea of ​​slave owners in the slave society. In the era when Moore lived, capitalism was still in its infancy, and the contradiction between the bourgeoisie and the proletarian began to arise. Although Moore deeply sympathized with the masses of laborers and prompted him to write a book, but He could not see that the working people have the power to change the social system, let alone imagine that the proletariat as a class will one day be the main force of the revolution and the leading class of all revolutionary forces. Therefore, More did not and cannot clearly explain the public ownership of Utopia How did it come about, and under what conditions did it come about? At least the reader gets the impression that, in Utopia, this system was found to be superior, and that by the implementation of various plans, especially by the distribution of productive labor and products according to needs, people It naturally and peacefully entered the communist society. This country has been around for 1,760 years. It is said that the historical documents are very complete. However, Moore never mentioned what kind of contradictions the people and the ruler had. what has been doneWhat kind of struggle. On the contrary, he described the founding monarch as wise and capable, almost to the point of apotheosis. Then, is it the same that Utopia can enjoy a happy life and public ownership can be maintained without being destroyed? Is it related to the proper governance of the rulers of the past dynasties?Similar questions cannot be answered in a book. Therefore, his utopia lacks scientific basis and can only be a kind of "fantasy". It follows that More was only a utopian socialist. Yet he is universally recognized as the first great utopian socialist of Western Europe. We cite some of his progressive views, which are his own. We also indicate his main limitations, which belonged to his time and class to which he belonged. Dai Liuling January 1981 ①Lenin: "Typical Populist Utopian Plan", see Volume 2 of "The Complete Works of Lenin", People's Publishing House, 1959 edition, p. 413. ——Translator