Utopia (1516) is Sir Thomas More’s famous work of political philosophy, written as a fictional travel narrative. In it, More imagines an ideal island society whose laws, customs, and social structures sharply contrast with those of 16th‑century Europe.
 
The book is presented as a dialogue between:
Thomas More (a character based on himself)
Peter Giles
Raphael Hythloday, a traveller who claims to have visited the island of Utopia
Through Hythloday’s descriptions, More explores:
communal property
religious tolerance
education for all
justice without harsh punishment
rational governance
the dangers of greed and inequality
 
The work is both satire and serious political critique. More never tells the reader whether Utopia is meant to be a model to imitate or a mirror exposing Europe’s flaws. That ambiguity is part of its enduring power.