Thomas More's Utopia

In 1516 Thomas More published a small book that coined the word ‘utopia’ and shaped centuries of political thought. Misha Glenny and guests explore how this depiction of an imaginary island has been read as a blueprint for society, a scathing satire, and a timeless warning. The discussion covers the Renaissance Humanist roots of the work, its veiled critique of tyranny and governance, and why visions of a perfect world so often slip into dystopia. More’s own life — and his execution for refusing to accept Henry VIII as head of the Church of England — casts a shadow over the text’s ambiguities.