By now Americans know better than to believe a utopian society could ever exist in this part of the world, but in Sir Thomas More's day (1478-1535, England, the chaotic court of His Gourmandship Henry VIII) what better place to imagine a population living together in productive harmony than the New World? The Old one was clearly in religious and political disarray, so he postulated a people on the other side of the pond who worked half-days, ate wholesome food in moderation, created great art, and were generally happy. In the process he coined the term "utopia" (the actual name of his fictional nation), sparked a debate concerning the nature of art and if it is possible for great art to flourish where conflict does not exist, and contributed to the canon of premodern proto-science fiction novels. A landmark of Christian humanism, More's work has spawned copycat writers and crazy people experimenting with idealism and society.
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