The three types of Utopia are all represented in More’s short novel and are all exemplified through his created world. However, the idea of a social utopia in particular seems to be a focus of More’s.

Social utopia is the most clearly-manifested in the work. Citizens of Utopia share the work burden, and slavery is the punishment for a heinous crime, rather than an institution in itself. Families pass on their trades to their children, but children can still change that as well if they desire. Respect is abundant, and even government officials are humble and unadorned. Though the patriarchy is still present, it is much less emphasized as it was in Europe at the time. Women enjoy more rights in Utopia than they would have in More’s England. More takes every opportunity to espouse the equality of Utopia’s citizens — both in equality of opportunity and equality of outcome.

I found a lot of these ideas to be reminiscent of modern-day communism. While all citizens are equal in wealth, opportunity, and outcome, they are still encouraged to do good in society – as exemplified by the statues of good men in town squares. However, government officials are not eligible for such an honor. More, in this way, hopes to promote both equality in everything, but also excellence within that equality. Whereas in Marxist communism, each worker is paid according to his or her needs and abilities, every worker in Utopia is not paid at all. More emphasizes the idea that because every city shares its surplus to cover another’s shortage, because people switch homes every ten years, and since every city is identical, every person is at home everywhere. Therefore, currency and commodities such as silver and gold have no value outside of how international bodies may value such a thing.

I think that Thomas More’s Utopia undoubtedly influenced Marxist theory, or at least served as a precursor to these ideas of equality of outcome in society.