THE CITY OF THE SUN AND THE FOUNDATIONS FOR SOCIAL PERFORMANCE

Abstract

This paper proposes a new contextual interpretation ofThe City of the Sun as a pattern for social performance in a systematic, wellorganized society. I will explore the foundations of some interestingconcepts and aspects developed by Campanella in The City of the Sun, such asan economic system based on social distribution, the emphasis ontechnology as a strong basis for social development, and the administrativesystem of justice. I will argue that Campanella’s perfect society is, in fact, aresponse to his attempt to find a possibility of constraining social andinstitutional order so that the human beings can live together in perfectharmony.

Keywords

• Tommasso Campanella
• The City of the Sun
• social performance
• communal interest
• administration of justice