How Thomas Moore's Utopia Relates To The American Colonies

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Tyler Bronzino History 127 American Utopia Essay An Analysis of the North American Colonies in Relation to “Utopia” One way that all three entities had similar social structure is that they all used slave labor. The difference though lies in that Utopian slaves were never purchased. They were either captives from war, criminals, or foreigners seeking refuge in Utopia. Utopia also did not make someone a slave just because their parents were slaves. This couldn’t be further from what slave labor consisted of in the American colonies, where slaves were purchased and the offspring were also enslaved. Although slavery was utilized differently amongst the aforementioned areas, it was still important to each respective economy. The economy of Utopia was arguably the most compelling aspect of the country, and also differed wildly from those of either New England or Virginia. The Utopian economy was Socialist, meaning no one owned any property, and everything belonged to everyone, and all needs were met. People were responsible for working in the fields, yet everyone was also entitled to an education. People who were especially gifted were allowed to practice in that respective field as a career. There was also no official currency of Utopia. While the Utopians did reserve bullion from the sale of goods to other countries, it was only to be used as a resource for dealing with outside nations. The fact that the economy was not based on money makes it the polar opposite of Virginian economic policies. The difference in government between Virginia and New England could be easily summarized as an aristocracy versus a theocracy. In Virginia, the governance was effectively carried out by landowners due to the fact that laws were passed that only landowners could vote. This meant that it was impossible for the impoverished to ever have a voice,
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