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Summary
Editor's review
As an editor, I find the book's enduring appeal lies in its deep dialectic: it is at once a caustic satire of real injustice and an impassioned construction of a utopian ideal, while also harboring a latent anxiety that a "perfect society" may slide toward rigidity and the loss of individual freedom (the account of Utopia's strict discipline and lack of privacy carries a distinctly cautionary note). Readers should keep in mind More's own complex life as a humanist, statesman, and eventual martyr (he was executed for refusing to recognize the English king as supreme head of the Church of England) in order to grasp the profound tension between his ideal and his reality. This Commercial Press edition offers a rigorous and reliable translation with detailed annotations that help readers grasp the historical background and intellectual context. For modern readers, the value of Utopia lies not only in understanding the origins of utopian socialism but also in prompting critical reflection on enduring questions of social justice, institutional design, and the relationship between the individual and the collective.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Researchers and enthusiasts interested in political philosophy, the history of social thought, or utopian literature
- Readers seeking to understand the early origins and development of socialist thought
- Intellectually curious readers who enjoy reflecting on real social problems through classic texts
- Students taking courses in Western political thought, literature, or history
Not a good fit for
- Readers looking for light entertainment or fast-paced narrative
- Readers expecting concrete social reform proposals or practical guidance
Reading tips
- Read the introduction or relevant background materials first to understand sixteenth-century English society and More's life, which is essential to grasping the text's critical target.
- Try comparing the Utopian institutions depicted in the book with later social experiments or ideal blueprints, and examine both the ideals and their potential limitations.
- While reading, pay attention both to More's literary technique (such as the dialogue form and irony) and to the philosophical argument, and appreciate how he carries deep social criticism through fictional narrative.
About the publisher
The Commercial Press is a publisher known for classic works and academic publishing, with titles spanning Eastern philosophy, foreign literature, world history, social culture, and applied psychology. Its list includes classical commentaries such as Zhu Xi's Collected Commentaries on the Analects and Wang Bi's Commentary on the Zhouyi, as well as modern annotated translations like Zhuangzi with Modern Notes and Translation. In foreign literature it offers War and Peace and Crime and Punishment, while in world history it carries Braudel's The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II. Applied psychology is represented by Irvin D. Yalom's Existential Psychotherapy, and ethical texts include a Greek-Chinese-English edition of the Nicomachean Ethics. Its authors and translators include Zhu Xi, Wang Bi, Yalom, Braudel, and translators such as Huang Zheng, Zhang Yiling, Shen Dongyu, and Tang Jialong, balancing the editing of original texts with academic translation.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 汉译世界学术名著丛书（分科本）出版说明
- 序言
- 《乌托邦》1518年巴塞尔版有边饰的一页
- 托马斯·莫尔向彼得·贾尔斯 问好的信
- 《乌托邦》第一部
- 《乌托邦》第二部
- 关于城市，特别是亚马乌罗提城
- 关于官员
- 关于职业
- 关于社交生活
- 关于乌托邦人的旅行等等
- 关于奴隶等等
- 关于战争
- 关于乌托邦人的宗教
- 附录一 莫尔和伊拉斯谟的书信摘录
- 莫尔致伊拉斯谟（四八一号）
- 莫尔致伊拉斯谟（四九九号）
- 伊拉斯谟致克拉瓦（五三○号）
- 伊拉斯谟致科普（五三七号）
- 伊拉斯谟致莫尔（五四三号）
- 伊拉斯谟致莫尔（五四五号）
- 伊拉斯谟致胡滕 （九九九号）
- 附录二
- 《乌托邦》的历史意义
- 莫尔小传
- 《乌托邦》的版本和翻译
FAQ
Is Utopia a novel or a political treatise?
What are the main features of the "Utopian" ideal proposed in this book?
Why is More's attitude toward "Utopia" said to be complex?
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About the author
Thomas More was an important humanist and political thinker of the Renaissance, and Utopia is his representative work. Set on a fictional island society, the book uses a traveller's account to portray an ideal order based on common ownership, universal labour and distribution according to need, while reflecting the poverty gap and institutional flaws of contemporary Europe. More thus inaugurated the literary and intellectual tradition of "utopia", giving classic expression to the imagination of early socialist thought. His writing combines narrative and argument, using story to carry serious reflection on politics, law, morality and religion, in a subtle and often satirical style. Five of his works are held here, mostly different editions of Utopia, commonly classified under Western philosophy, politics, foreign literature and world classics. As public information is limited, this introduction focuses on the themes and influence of his works rather than biographical details.
