How did Thomas More use Utopia to criticize conditions in 16th-century Europe?

In his 1516 work Utopia, Thomas More utilized the description of an ideal, rational society to serve as a sharp satirical critique of the political and social failures of 16th-century Europe.12

More contrasted the order and dignity of his fictional state with the "unreasonable polity" of Christian Europe, which he characterized as being fractured by greed, egoism, and a relentless pursuit of power. Through the narrative voice of the traveler Raphael Hythloday, More highlighted several specific grievances:2

• Economic Inequality: He criticized the existence of private property and the stark wealth gap, where the nobility lived in luxury while ordinary citizens faced starvation.12
• Enclosure: More openly condemned the practice of enclosure, describing it as a "national disaster" where productive land was seized from the peasantry for the benefit of the wealthy.1
• Justice and Governance: He attacked the harsh penal systems of his time, where people were frequently hanged for minor crimes like stealing food, contrasting this with the Utopian model of moral self-governance.12

By presenting a society defined by religious toleration, communal living, and the absence of poverty, More exposed the moral failings of contemporary European leadership.12