Utopia, Three

 
 
 
The word utopia was used as the title of a famous book by Saint Thomas More. Utopia was first published in Latin in 1516 and was translated into English in 1551.

It is partly in the form of a dialogue. The book gives More’s views on the ideal government. But, like most writings on utopias, it also criticizes social and economic conditions of More’s times.

You get to design a new country, society, world.

Economics

26. Describe the sort of economy your country would have. What type of industries would there be?

27. Describe your country’s trade. Would there be tariffs, quotas or free trade? What would it import and export?

28. What would be the “socio-economic class structure”? Would there be class consciousness?

29. How would the poor, unemployed, and those who have financial (money) trouble be assisted?

Government and Politics

30. What kind of government would it have, e.g. absolute monarchy, constitutional monarchy, autocracy, dictatorship, totalitarianism, oligarchy, parliamentary democracy, presidential democracy, dependency, tributary, commonwealth, anarchy.

31. Would your country have a stronger central, nation, federal government and weaker local and regional governments? Or would it have a weak central government and stronger local and regional governments?

32. Would your Utopia’s government be big and very involved, or small and not very involved?

33. What sort of political orientation or leaning would your country have: capitalist, communist, socialist, fascist, moderate, center-right, center-left, far left, far right, some or all of the above?

34. There would be corruption. Yes or no? How could corruption be eliminated?

35. Who, if anyone, would be able to vote?

36. Would ballot initiatives or referendums be common?

37. Would your country have an military?

38. Describe the defense or armed forces. What would it consist of? How big would it be?

39. Would there be a national conscription or draft?