Modern interpretations of Thomas More's critical and controversial utopia have called into question his messages to 16th-century audiences. Utopia describes a set of similar ideal cities that work together equally to achieve a liberating and stress-free lifestyle. As the story has aged, there have been new perceptions (developed by both scholars and students) that claim the work parallels communist practices. The speculative communism seen in Utopia refers to today's radical communism of the type that was (and in some cases still is) present in North Korea, Cuba, China, and Russia. People associate communist government with tyrannical dictators, limiting resources, and bleak quality of life. The line dividing communism and utopianism is very thin and gray. While somewhat similar, utopianism and communism are also very different. Utopia best resembles communist tendencies through its depiction of working life, emphasis on conformity, and strict laws. Although Thomas More's Utopia shares similarities with the communist philosophy of Karl Marx, More's text is actually an example of Renaissance humanism. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Work life in Utopia is one of the focal points of the novel where communist tendencies are displayed. Utopians pride themselves on their six-hour workdays. On the island it is stated that all citizens participate in agriculture/livestock. Their population's focus on agriculture seems vaguely similar to that of Communist China (1958) whose ruler, Mao Zedong, asked all citizens to participate in the production of steel and grain in a program called the "Great Leap Forward." (San Diego State Uni.) . It is easy to see that these people appreciate their work and their style when More tells the audience: "Agriculture is the only occupation in which everyone works, [...] and throughout their lives they always wear the same style of clothing" (More 603). This focus of all utopian cities following the same priority towards agriculture sounds similar to communism's belief that every citizen works harder regardless of preferences. When the audience learns that all the utopians wear the same clothes, it might be easy for a reader to point out that their negligence of vanity sounds similar to the practices of communism where the citizens all look very similar. The basic style of utopian people supports communist beliefs about living life in a simplistic way. By neglecting different types of fashion, utopians become (and seem) more united. Another part of the utopia that may seem communist to the public is the way these people comply with workplace rules and regulations. In their working philosophy it is stated that, “consequently, utopians maintain that one must not only abide by private contracts but also obey all those public laws that regulate the distribution of vital goods” (More 616) to maintain functionality of Utopia. . In today's communist society, it is necessary for a worker to be as efficient as possible. Since utopians claim to follow public laws and private agreements established by higher authorities, this scenario demonstrates how utopians and communists are subservient to work life and think similarly in terms of the benefits to their work life. While work life is a big focus of In the utopian (and communist) society, there is also a big emphasis on conformity. In More's novel, the citizens do not expressnever any sign of discontent with the current position of conformity held by the governor and philarch. The citizens of Utopia never seem to have interactions with other non-Utopians when the narrator states that "hardly any strangers enter" (More 599). This isolation from other territories and determination to stick together as a body of utopians sounds eerily familiar to communist North Korea. Within this Asian country, there are a series of tests and in-depth interviews that foreigners from the country must undergo to cross the border. Another example where communist tendencies are exploited in More's work is when it is announced that "it is a general rule that the more something is different from what people are used to, the harder it is for people to accept it." (Plus 611). This tells the audience that the inhabitants of Utopia must blend in with the crowd and not cause any disturbance to the island's norms. This limitation of divergence (in thought) in the utopian society ties in perfectly with communism's support for identity. Both companies engage in this restriction activity to eliminate potential conflicts. In communist countries, they find progress in having a united body of like-minded people to ensure the success of their people (Bukharin and Preobrazhenskii?). Since both utopian and communist philosophy value conformity, it is easy to say that living in these worlds would require much practice in the art of losing oneself for a devoted cause. As for the third (and final) exploration of apparent communism in In the Utopia of Thomas More, one must look at the strict laws established in the story. Audiences may imagine a communist society as a place with strict rules, and the setting of Utopia is no exception to this common practice. It is a common communist practice today for a ruler/dictator to take control of the earth and rule until death. This rigorous practice is evident in Utopia when it is revealed: “That in the beginning the entire city was designed by Utopo himself […] The governor holds office for life.” (Plus 601-602). As can be seen from the text of Utopia, there is a great similarity in the way the rules are established for the island and the communist rules. While the hard rules regarding leadership are very strict and stand firm, it is also important to look at another set of hard laws in the text. If there are natives on the island who do not play by the rules, then the utopians “think it is perfectly justifiable to wage war on the people who leave their land idle and desolate,” (More 607), which is very extreme. By reading this, the audience may begin to develop the idea that perhaps utopia is not what they thought it was. One could link this to communist Russia or North Korea sending war threats to other nations and seeing them as justifiable as well. All in all, Utopia's strict laws are strongly respected by their supreme ruler, and the system is not looking for change. As you can see, there are some seemingly well-thought-out arguments that communism is present in Utopia. While there may be many reasons and inferences to support this observation, these accusations must be put to rest. It is crucial to understand that Utopia was written in 1516 and that The Foundations of Communism was published around 1848. Therefore, it is easy to see that the idea of ​​utopia came long before the idea of ​​communism, let alone radical communist government. Utopianism was a concept, while communism was a real practice. Therefore, any presence of communism in Utopia is all a simple coincidence. Utopianism is based on the premises of Renaissance humanism, which is centered on the progression of learning. After all, Thomas.. 217-227.