“The measure of man is what he does with power”. This famous dictum is said by Plato.

He is concerned with the task of an individual especially the role of leaders in order that the state

will properly function. The Philippine government, however, plays a vital role in every Filipino

citizen and in its jurisdiction. And at the same time, every Filipino citizen is responsible for who

will rule him or her. Both the Philippine government and the Filipino citizens are accountable for

their state. But committing mistakes for both parties is inevitable. The decisions of the Philippine

and the Filipino citizens are not always correct. Thus, the Philippine government will either

decline into Plato’s different forms of government or will be successful and turn into an ideal

state depending on the performance of the Philippine government and its Filipino citizens. This

paper aims to explore how Plato’s decline of the ideal state affects the lives and the economy of

Filipino citizens by delving from the five forms of government.

The five forms of government of Plato describes the worsening of the moral character of

the ruler and the citizens. These five governments can be observed in the Philippine government

based on the performance of its leaders and its citizens. The first form of government is

aristocracy. Aristocracy is the ideal state for Plato. It is where the ruler is the philosopher-king. It

is also where the people’s reason controls their appetite. In short, the leaders and the members of

the state help each other so that their country will be successful in terms of their lives and their

economy.

There are five ways on how to make the Philippines better like Plato's aristocracy. The

first way is to vote wisely. Filipinos should make the right choice in voting worthy leaders. The

second method is to abide by the law. The Filipino citizens should follow any rules. The third

technique is setting a good example to others, especially to the children. Showing upright

examples influences others. The fourth way is supporting local products and crafts. Buying local
products and crafts boosts the Philippine's economy. The last technique is practicing patriotism.

Loving one’s country shows concern for the betterment of the Philippines. Surely, following

these five ways will make a better Philippines.

Like the Filipino citizens, the Philippine government should also do something. The

Philippine government should make different steps to make a better Philippines. There are two

actions that must be done to help the Filipinos. The first strategy is implementing economic

reforms. Economic reforms help to improve trading and to develop infrastructures. The last step

is promoting competition. Competitions help the Filipino citizens to be encouraged to expand

and innovate their products and services. For this reason, the Philippine government will help the

Filipino economically.

Aristocracy is not easy to develop in the Philippine government but it will not be

impossible. The thing they need to do is that the leader and its members should cooperate with

each other well. The rulers should create programs that will help its members to have better and

peaceful lives. The representatives, however, should participate with the plan of their superiors.

For instance, the government makes a plan for education. This educational planning is to

identify, develop, and implement strategies designed to effectively attain the educational needs

of students. The associates should not think twice to participate with the plan of their chiefs. In

conclusion, by leading effectively and following unhesitantly, this will lead to aristocracy.

The second form of government is timocracy. Timocracy is where the aristocracy

declines first. This happens because there’s a possibility for change. Sooner or later, the rulers

will commit mistakes. They value their own honor more than the common good. For this reason,

the spirit rules over reason.

operator of the means of production are the state. The problem which arises here, however, is on

the part of the ruler. They will accumulate more and more wealth. For example is the Philippine

Amusement and Gaming corporation (PAGCOR). PAGCOR has numerous corruption cases

which are reported. In conclusion, one of the reasons why the Philippine government declines is

because of its leaders.

Another observation of timocracy is political nepotism. Political nepotism is a problem in

politics when a relative of a leader ascends to power without qualification. By doing political

nepotism, the superiors keep their honor. Therefore, the rulers gain fortune.

Besides political nepotism, there is a problem with killing innocent people who attack the

government. In order for the ruler to keep their honor, they will assassinate those who criticize

them. One concrete example is the killing of Percy Lapid. Percy Lapid was a journalist who

harshly criticized the government under Duterte’s administration. The involvements in Lapid’s

murder were members of the government. This is only one instance. Numerous journalists are

reportedly killed.

The decline to timocracy has to do with the state. Mistakes in the part of the state are

inevitable. They are tempted to maintain their power.

The third form of government is plutocracy. Plutocracy is where power resides in the

hands of people whose main concern is wealth. It breaks the unity of the state into the rich and

the poor. For this reason, people seek constant pleasure but know how to distinguish three sorts

of desires: the necessary, the unnecessary, and the lawless.

Plutocracy can be observed in Filipino capitalists. Capitalists are the individuals who

provide products and services for others. This practice leads the individual to become wealthy.
For instance, one Filipino owns a private company. He or she is the only one who has the

capacity to rise in a society. As a result, this divides the social class into destitute and rich.

The three sorts of desires can be observed in the citizens. The first desire is the necessary

desires. Necessary desires are those desires which are necessary for living like food, water, and

clothes. The second desire is the unnecessary desire. Unnecessary desires are the desires which

one doesn't need. He or she can live without these desires. These desires can be popularity and

taking possessions. Finally, the lawless desires draw people toward criminal things. They

shamelessly kill others for their benefits. One example of this is the drug trafficker. Many addicts

take advantage of others. Thus, the nature of the citizens in plutocracy is constant seeking of

pleasure. They can never be satisfied.

Unlike timocracy, the decline to plutocracy is caused by the individuals. These

individuals constantly seek pleasure.

The fourth form of government is democracy. Democracy is where anyone is allowed to

do what he likes. He or she is not obliged to be in authority or to submit to authority if he or she

doesn't like it. In this state, the soul of an individual is shattered. It is a soul where appetites act

as a “mob” of passions. Accordingly, Plato had not in mind liberal democracy.

Plato’s democracy is different from the Philippines' democracy. Democracy of Plato is

characterized by a system where everyone has a right to rule. There is too much freedom here.

While the Philippines’ democracy is a representative democracy, Filipino citizens have the right

to elect and oust their leaders at the same time. For example, every six years, Filipinos will vote

for their next president, vice president, and senators. Every three years, however, Filipinos will

vote for councilors. They toppled some former presidents who were corrupt.
 Albeit the Philippines is the representative democracy, this is somehow similar to Plato’s

democracy. Some of the Filipinos don’t care about politics. While others do participate. In short,

not all Filipino citizens are not concerned with other welfare. Moreover, some Filipinos meddle

with the government programs. They criticize the government because they have freedom of

speech. They do whatever they want to do. With this in mind, Plato’s democracy is similar to the

Philippines’ democracy.

The decline to democracy has to do with the citizens. Citizens have the power who will

rule over them

And the last form of government is despotism. Despotism is characterized as the

continuous indulgence of the appetites. One seeks the passion for money and pleasure. It leads

him or her to plunder the rich. He or she demands and acquires absolute power. And he or she

makes slaves of the people.

Despotism can be seen if the Philippine government and the Filipino citizens continue

their wrongdoings. That is if socialism and capitalism continue to exist in the Philippines. Or if

the state continues to run and manage business all by itself. And if the rich individual continues

to rise in society.

Despotism is caused by both the citizen and the ruler.

In conclusion, Plato’s ideal state declined into different forms of government. Similarly,

the Philippine government degenerates into various forms of government. But, it should be

remembered that there’s no such thing as a “perfect” or “utopian” state. A government can be

better if the leaders and its citizens work together for the common good.
References:

Paramount Direct (2019). 7 Ways on How to Make the Philippines a Better Place. Retrieve from
https://www.paramountdirect.com/blogs/7-ways-on-how-to-make-the-philippines-a-better-place

Sparknotes. (n.d). The Republic: Plato. Retrieve from

The World Bank. (2018). Growth and Productivity in the Philippines: Winning the Futute.
Retrieve from https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/speech/2018/09/24/growth-and-productivity-
in-the-philippines-winning-the-future

Stump, S. E. (1999). Socrates to Sartre: A History of Philosophy (6th ed). The McGraw Hill
Companies. p. 69-71
 Mount Saint Aloysius College Seminary

PLATO’S DECLINE OF THE IDEAL STATE

Eljhon M. Gervacio
First Year
Introduction to Ancient Philosophy
May 22, 2023