Thomas More – The best political structure, humanism and socialism
Thomas More was a prominent figure in Western philosophy in the late 15th and 16th centuries. He is known not only as an important and influential figure in British society but also as a thinker whose works deeply shaped Renaissance humanism. His ideas started discussions about human rights, the role of reason, justice, and equality in government, and the relationship between human reason and Christian faith. He was a deeply religious man, known for his high moral standards in both his personal life and his career as a politician; however, he was also deeply interested in and influenced by ancient Greek philosophy. Those aspects of his life are being reflected in his works, where he is “convinced of the need to return to the sources of classical and biblical thought. “(Wegemer, par. 1). Moving by those motives, he takes tasks to continue where his “favourite” philosopher- Plato left and creates an image of perfect country with the most efficient ruling system which guarantees the safety and wellbeing of its citizens. Ironically, he names this palace Utopia and describes it in his probably most famous and influential work, Utopia (1516). A major part of More’s philosophical exploration was his critique of the social and political systems he experienced in Europe during his time. This is evident in The History of King Richard III (1513–1518), where he highlights the flaws of monarchy and shows how the pursuit of power can corrupt individuals, leading to tyranny and harm for the nation. In those works, along with many of his other works and letters, More explores the ideas of Morality, equality, and justice in a socio-political perspective.
As mentioned above, More was deeply influenced by ancient Greek philosophy, especially by Plato and his “Socrates”, as he describes him as “the great philosopher” and “wise” (1529 Dialogue of Sir Thomas More, Knight [EW 681.12, 29, CW 6: 334.23, 335.2]). His respect for Plato’s Republic is well visible in his Utopia, which is also written in Platonic dialogue form. Besides the similarities in style, More also explores the idea of a perfect country, a perfect society with the most efficient governing system, which doesn’t have the unjust flaws of the system he lived in. His Utopia is mostly a dialogue between More himself and Raphael Hythloday, a Portuguese traveller. Raphael is a very experienced and intellectual person, who has seen a lot, and as More says, “He has sailed, not like Palinurus, but rather like Ulysses, or even better like Plato.”(Utopia, PG11). Raphael is also a source of the critique for monarchy as a system and the only person who has seen and lived in Utopia.