Nature, Origin, and End of State
-Plato’s ideal state is centered around ‘justice’, where justice is to provide one with what is "due"
-Plato was influenced of the Pythagorean theory of the human nature. Pythagoras classifies human
nature in three sections that are reason, courage and appetite.
-In the ideal state of Plato there are three classes:
1. Commonwealth. (The people who will deal with their own business.)
2. Auxiliary. (Police or military officers to maintain order.)
3. Rulers or Guardians (Executive group of philosophers.)
-A socialist structure is exhibited where diversity is not tolerated in the state of Plato.
-In the state of Plato there are no such things as private property, marriage or even family. Everything
belongs to state. The children will be taken right after birth and will be raised by the state.
-In a state, all three classes are important. They need each other.
According to Plato, the state arises from the need of men for one another’s assistance. Drawn by this
need they come to live together and form specialized classes, each being devoted to the satisfaction of a
certain need.
-The state ends when democracy degenerates into tyranny where no one has discipline and society
exists in chaos. Democracy is taken over by the longing for freedom. Power must be seized to maintain
order. A champion will come along and experience power, which will cause him to become a tyrant. The
people will start to hate him and eventually try to remove him but will realize they are not able.
Virtues in the State
There are four virtues of the state:
1. Temperance is the unique virtue of the artisan class;
2. Courage is the virtue peculiar to the military class;
3. Wisdom characterizes the rulers;
4. Justice characterizes society as a whole (directs everyone to perform the role most suited to his
nature)
Virtues of the Individual:
- Plato believed that the harmony and balance of a philosopher should be reflected in society.
- He believed that reason should rule, spirit should provide courage and self-control, and desire should
be limited to the satisfaction of needs.
Education
- In the age range 1-6 years, children are told stories to enable them to differentiate in good and bad.
- In the age range 6-18 years are given physical and mental education and physically they are trained
in athletic, gymnastic and music while mentally special courses of logic, astronomy, mathematics
and philosophy are given.
- In the age ranging 18-20 years, the citizens are philosophically educated. The described limit is
enough for the professional class.
- In secondary education, physically strong are given physical education for ten years and it produces
military class while mentally strong are given mental education to produce the administrators like
teachers, collectors and magistrates etc.
- Those who are very intelligent in the secondary mental education are specially educated in detailed
philosophy up to 50 years and then they become the rulers.
Women
Plato said, with a good education women can be wise as men. As he says a state which only
educates its men is like a human who only trains his right arm, he gives a voice to women-men
equality at a certain level.
Plato was open to men and women training and studying together – as long as both possess the
necessary qualifications for a certain occupation. Since women are “expected to take their full
share” in the commonwealth, then they should also be taught the same things and receive the
same treatment as men.
Men and women who are destined for guardianship should possess the same qualities. Their
nature should be the same except the women are weaker.
Democracy
- Democracy is the degeneration of Oligarchy where freedom is the supreme good but freedom is
also slavery.
- In democracy, the lower class grows bigger and bigger. The poor become the winners.
- People are free to do what they want and live how they want. People can even break the law if
they so choose. This appears to be very similar to anarchy.
- The democratic man is consumed with unnecessary desires.
- The democratic man takes great interest in all the things he can buy with his money. He does
whatever he wants whenever he wants to do it. His life has no order or priority.
Sources:
Bolarfinwa, O. (2013). Evaluation of platos ideal state. Place of publication not identified: Grin Verlag.
Ferrari, L. (1957). The origin of the state according to Plato.
(n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/republic/summary/
Classics of Political and Moral Philosophy: Steven M. Cahn ... (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.amazon.com/Classics-Political-Moral-Philosophy-Steven/dp/0199791155
A Brief Note on Plato Ideal State Concept - MBA Notes, Pol ... (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.studylecturenotes.com/social-sciences/law/432-a-brief-note-on-plato-ideal-state-concept
del Campo Bennagen, P. (2002). A Study Guide to Social, Economic and Political Thought. UP Open
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