[translation] CPC Cadre Lecture on Thomas More

I never took Thomas More all that seriously. This lecture from the Communist Party of China cadre training had me thinking quite differently. Now I’ll definitely be reading Utopia ASAP. This translation is excerpted from a book-length work I’m currently translating on the 500 year history of world socialism distributed to CPC cadres. This 500 year history of socialism is a common timeline used in CPC historiography (and a timeline framework that in my opinion should be taken much more seriously here in the West). If you find these translations and my other work interesting please consider monthly support at patreon.com/cozmun. Thanks.

Thomas More and His Utopia

Within the annals of world socialism's 500-year illustrious history, the heroic deeds of Thomas More, an early utopian socialist thinker, stand boldly etched. He will forever be commemorated as the first to selflessly dedicate his life to the cause of global socialism.

Thomas More (1478-1535) was the founding father of utopian socialism. Born into a noble family in London, England, he lived through the tumultuous period of capital accumulation during the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Witnessing the brutalities of this era, particularly the ruthless enclosure movement that displaced countless farmers, More developed a deep empathy for the working class and a yearning for a society free from exploitation and oppression.

Inspired by the travelogs of the renowned Italian navigator Amerigo Vespucci, which described a group of 24 individuals who had settled in Brazil, More decided to use one of these individuals as a narrator to portray his vision of an ideal society. Thus, he penned Utopia, the first work of utopian socialist literature in human history.

In Utopia, More scathingly criticized the evils of capital accumulation, directly challenging the authority of King Henry VIII, who ruled England at the time. For his unwavering commitment to his ideals, More was arrested and imprisoned. On July 7, 1535, he was beheaded by order of the king, who also served as the head of the Church.

Despite facing the prospect of execution, More refused to compromise his principles. When urged to recant his beliefs, he famously replied, "The price of freedom is indeed high, but I cannot betray my conscience." On the day of his execution, More bid farewell to his family with composure. As he stood before the executioner, he calmly instructed him, "My neck is short, so aim well, and don't make a mess." After his heroic sacrifice, his head was displayed on London Bridge as a warning.

Thus, the 500-year saga of world socialism begins to unfold, starting with the dawn of utopian socialism. Here, the first pioneer of socialist thought, having selflessly devoted his life to the cause of global socialism, emerges heroically from the annals of history.