THE PRINCIPLE OF HOPE

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and tolerance, with a collective economy (always easily threatened by bureaucracy, and indeed clericalism). In contrast to the previously imagined collectivisms of the
best state, in the work of Thomas More freedom is written into the collective, and genuine material­humane democracy becomes its content. This content makes the
‘Utopia’, in substantial sections, into a kind of liberal memorial and memorable book of socialism and communism.
People are only made wicked by deprivation, ‘why punish them so severely’? More commences with this question, he immediately makes the surroundings responsible
for the individual. ‘The gallows are appointed for thieves, whereas we should much rather see to it that they can make a living, so that none of them faces the dire
compulsion of first having to steal, and afterwards to die.’ Right next to this, More portrays the world which allows the poor man to become guilty and sets itself up as a
judge: ‘How great is the number of noblemen who, themselves as idle as drones, live off the work of other people, and make them sweat blood; but on top of this they
gather a swarm of wastrels and satellites around them.’ And the end of the first part of the ‘Utopia’ states openly: ‘Where private ownership still exists, where all
people measure all values by the yardstick of money, it will hardly ever be possible to pursue a just and happy policy … Thus possessions certainly cannot be
distributed in any just and fair way, and mortal happiness cannot be established at all, unless property is done away with beforehand. As long as it continues to exist,
poverty, toil and care will hang instead an inescapable burden on by far the biggest and by far the best part of humanity. The burden may be lightened a little, but to
remove it entirely (without abolishing property) is impossible.’ More puts all these words into the mouth of the globetrotter, whom he introduces as a reporter from
‘Utopia’ and who now, from the standpoint of the best state, regards the English one in horror. The cautious Chancellor calls the man Raphael Hythlodaeus (which
means ‘windbag’), but Raphael undoubtedly represents More's most radical opinions. The island of ‘Utopia’ then, of which the reporter gives an account in the second
part of the book, is above all a humane one because its inhabitants are so largely free of drudgery. Six hours of moderate effort are sufficient to satisfy all urgent needs
and also to produce enough provisions for the comforts of life. Then life beyond work begins; it is a life of the happy, liberal family unit, in a beautifully kept house which
unites several families like guests. So as to suppress even the semblance of private property, the houses are exchanged every ten years by drawing