only commonwealth that truly deserves that
name. In all other places it is visible, that while people talk of a
commonwealth, every man only seeks his own wealth; but there, where no
man has any property, all men zealously pursue the good of the public:
and, indeed, it is no wonder to see men act so differently; for in other
commonwealths, every man knows that unless he provides for himself, how
flourishing soever the commonwealth may be, he must die of hunger; so
that he sees the necessity of preferring his own concerns to the public;
but in Utopia, where every man has a right to everything, they all know
that if care is taken to keep the public stores full, no private man can
want anything; for among them there is no unequal distribution, so that
no man is poor, none in necessity; and though no man has anything, yet
they are all rich; for what can make a man so rich as to lead a serene
and cheerful life, free from anxieties; neither apprehending want
himself, nor vexed with the endless complaints of his wife? He is not
afraid of the misery of his children, nor is he contriving how to raise
a portion for his daughters, but is secure in this, that both he and his
wife, his children and grandchildren, to as many generations as he can
fancy, will all live both plentifully and happily; since among them
there is no less care taken of those who were once engaged in labour,
but grow afterwards unable to follow it, than there is elsewhere of
these that continue still employed. I would gladly hear any man compare
the justice that is among them with that of all other nations; among
whom, may I perish, if I see anything that looks either like justice or
equity: for what justice is there in this, that a nobleman, a goldsmith,
a banker, or any other man, that either does nothing at all, or at best
is employed in things that are of no use to the public, should live in
great luxury and splendour, upon what is so ill acquired; and a mean
man, a carter, a smith, or a ploughman, that works harder even than the
beasts themselves, and is employed in labours so necessary, that no
commonwealth could hold out a year without them, can only earn so poor a
livelihood, and must lead so miserable a life, that the condition of the
beasts is much better than theirs? For as the beasts do not work so
constantly, so they feed almost as well, and with more pleasure; and
have no anxiety about what is to come, whilst these men are depressed by
a barren and