| According to
encyclopedia Britannica, “an ideal commonwealth
whose inhabitants exist under seemingly perfect
conditions” – these “perfect”
conditions comprise of financial, political, humanitarian
and ethical aspects. Therefore, utopia is utopia
is an ideal commonwealth whose inhabitants exist
under seemingly perfect conditions. It is used
to denote a visionary reform that tends to be
impossibly idealistic. Another definition of Utopia
is given by Oxford Dictionary, “Imaginary
place or state of in things which every thing
seems to be perfect”
Sir Thomas More is very much known for his work
on Utopia. His classical work on Utopia is a satire
on life towards the fictitious islands of Utopia.
Here he showed that the interest of an individual
belonging to the island is subordinate to those
of the society at large. He produced beautiful
fantasy where humanity and equality is at its
highest peek where love prevails for all and no
place of hatred, dishonesty and no evils exist
in the society. According to him, all people must
“do some work, universal education and religious
toleration are practiced, and all land is owned
in common.” Basically these conditions are
in contrast to the English society of that time.
The society of England in that era was a not at
harmony and full of chaos. There was a lot of
gender discrimination as well as class differences.
The working class and the women were treated as
an outcast with in the society and no matter how
hardworking they were, they never got just rewards
to their hard works. So the society lack self
harmony as well as an integrated society as well
as many other key elements that was produced in
the literary imaginary utopian world of More.
Consequently the literary imaginary of utopia
also was a symbol introducing a harmonized society
including environment as an integrated totality
with a balance of the three concepts of Harmony
with in the society as well as harmony with the
self, balance between the society and nature,
the integration of the individuals into the society
as well as the power of reason to order and understand
the world and at last the fundamental communal
nature of human beings. These were the elements
he imagined and believed to be in a society which
is an ideal state where the evils of any society
has no place to exist.
Therefore, utopia of Thomas More, “is an
ideal state where the evils all is ordered for
the best for humanity as a whole and where the
evils of society, such as poverty and misery,
have been eliminated” . Nonetheless this
description of Utopia sets place for criticism
against the evils of any society as every society
possess such evils where the ratio and intensity
of evilness varies from society to society. This
classic piece of More, is also an inspirational
force to bring revolutionary reforms to the contemporary
society with out directing the means and purpose
of effectiveness to it. Thus it is more inspirational
then practical in approach.
More’s utopia lacks classes, the working
style was presented on the basis of equality providing
same rights to all. However, an obligation for
all people to work for minimum six hours a day
is presented with the idea that every person has
different kind of skills and expertise and should
give the best of it. However, the working hour
is negotiated by keeping in mind the nature of
the work that how much hard work it demands as
compared to those which does not need much physical
work Either it is an agricultural society or any
other form, balance is maintained in not only
the working hours and rights but also equality
was assured in the clothing as well. They use
to wear very simple cloths so all can feel same
and were easy to afford for all members of the
society. Apart from this the utopians presented
by More use to change their residence every ten
years and also eat together at the mess halls.
This was to ensure equality and balance and to
give all the chance to enjoy life on basis of
equality. As he says, “Since there is very
little distinction in occupation, dress, lodging,
riches, or use of free time, pride is almost non-existent
in Utopia.”
Moreover, the government like caring for the sick,
travel, marriage as well as other social and economic
activities, very carefully supervises the various
activities. It was strictly maintained that people
get complete security in there social as well
as economic rights as well as all other rights.
Love is the key spread in the utopian society
where good is done due to the natural environment
and humanity is best exercised by all means. “Though
they are faithful and persuaded to the truths
of their religion nonetheless they would abandon
it for one that could be proved better.”
So he believed to create such an environment,
which due to its very nature bind the society
with love and develop harmony and balance in the
society.
Utopians has a transparent distinction to the
other nations and societies as “Utopia to
other nations, as in other nations, women generally
do not work, and neither do priests or rich men
and their families. When much of the population
is idle, those people that do work need to work
much harder in order to support those that don't”
therefore, in Utopia less work is needed as every
thing is equally shared as well as maintenance
and repairs are always made in the interest of
all.
Thomas More’s Utopia is an imaginary world
set against the evils of the contemporary society
where a balance is created in the economic, social
as well as religious aspect of life. But the shortcoming
here is the utopians have a life that is self-limited.
Analyzing the whole idea of More’s Utopia,
a question comes to our mind that is the idea
of “self-limited” wants desirable
or feasible? It confuses our understanding as
the world of Utopia is full of imagination and
fantasies and life seems to be very much harmonized,
and a balance is maintained in all the aspects
of life among all the people of the society. But
practically it cannot be desirable to live a life
with self-limited wants because in utopia there
is not much awareness and realization of the difference
of inner qualities of every person and the many
other creative and positive aspects of real life
as well as the other economic benefits one can
make by its personal efforts and mental skills.
So one cannot limit the inner wants to itself
and live for long maintaining the balance, equality
and harmony within the society. No one can restrict
the inner wants for long and then it is obvious
that when people start expressing their inner
desires and start struggling to achieve their
inner wants then the whole idea of societal balance,
equality and harmony prevailing under the utopian
island will come to its end. Therefore, living
a life that is self limited to is just a dream
not practically desirable.
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