Isabella Carter
Plato's ideal state is a philosophical aristocracy or monarchy ruled by philosopher-kings, also known as philosopher-rulers. In his book, The Republic, Plato presents philosophical arguments for this form of government. Plato's ideal rulers are wise, virtuous, and selfless, and are selected from childhood based on their moral character and physical talents. They are educated and trained in the superiority of reason and the bridling of passions. To avoid corruption, Plato's philosopher-kings do not receive an income or own private property, and they share everything in common, including their wives and children. Plato's ideal state is geographically located in Kallipolis, or the beautiful city, which is a utopia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Form of Government | Philosophical aristocracy or monarchy |
| Rulers | Philosopher-kings or philosopher-rulers |
| Selection of Rulers | Based on moral character and physical talents from childhood |
| Education of Rulers | Superiority of reason and bridling of passions |
| Ownership | No private property or income |
| Social Structure | Three classes: producers or workers, guardians, and rulers |
| Social Peace | Cooperation and friendship among different social groups |
| Justice | True justice achieved through philosopher-kings |
| Happiness | Result of reasoned thought rather than pursuit of pleasure |
| Democracy | Excess of liberty |
| Aristocracy | Superior abilities to desire things for the common good |
| Timocracy | Dominated by "spiritedness" or "thumos" in Greek |
| Oligarchy | Insatiable love of money |
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What You'll Learn
Plato's ideal state
Plato's ideal rulers are selected from childhood based on their moral character and physical talents. These rulers are educated and trained to value reason over passion. To prevent corruption, Plato's philosopher-kings do not receive any income or own private property, and they share everything in common, including their wives and children, who are raised communally.
Plato identifies five types of psychological constitutions that correspond to different forms of government:
- Aristocratic: ruled by rational attitudes
- Timocratic: ruled by spirited attitudes
- Oligarchic: ruled by necessary appetitive attitudes
- Democratic: ruled by unnecessary appetitive attitudes
- Tyrannical: ruled by lawless appetitive attitudes
In Plato's view, a true democracy, like that of his native Athens, suffers from an "excess of liberty," with the government operating at the whim of individual desires that may be at odds with the greater good. He saw the challenges of the human condition as a choice between "necessary" and "unnecessary" desires. In an aristocracy, philosopher-rulers will use their superior abilities to desire only what results in the common good.
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The role of philosopher-kings
Plato's ideal state is a philosophical aristocracy or monarchy, ruled by philosopher-kings. These philosopher-kings are the most wise, virtuous, and selfless. They are selected from childhood for their moral character and physical talents, and educated in the superiority of reason and the bridling of passions. Plato's philosopher-kings would not own private property or receive an income, and they would share everything in common, including their wives and children.
Plato's ideal city is called Kallipolis (beautiful city) and consists of three classes: producers or workers, guardians, and rulers. The guardians defend the city, while the rulers are philosopher-kings. The role of the philosopher-kings is to make civil strife cease and to promote social peace, cooperation, and friendship among the different social groups, each benefiting from and adding to the common good.
Plato believed that a society ruled by philosopher-kings would provide the greatest chance for its citizens to experience true justice, happiness, and peace. This is because the philosopher-kings, being dominated by reason, would desire only those things that result in the common good. In contrast, Plato saw democracy as resulting in an "excess of liberty", with the government operated at the whim of individual, unnecessary desires that were at odds with the greater good.
Plato's ideal state is a utopia, and critics have argued that it is a "nowhere-utopia" because it is psychologically impossible for humans to create and sustain such a city. However, Plato's vision of a state where people can live together happily and harmoniously continues to inspire and provide imaginative solutions to the problems we face today.
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Social peace and cooperation
Plato's ideal state is one that promotes social peace and cooperation in an environment of friendship among different social groups. Each group benefits from and contributes to the common good. Plato's ideal city, which he calls 'Kallipolis' or 'beautiful city', is divided into three classes: producers or workers, guardians, and rulers.
Plato's ideal rulers are philosopher-kings, chosen from childhood for their moral character and physical talents. These rulers are the most wise, virtuous, and selfless. To prevent corruption, Plato suggests that the rulers should live simply and communally, without private property or income. They would share everything in common, including their wives and children, who would be raised communally rather than by their biological parents. Plato believed that a society ruled by philosophers exercising the highest moral, ethical, and political judgment would provide the greatest chance for its citizens to experience true justice, happiness, and peace.
Plato's ideal state is not just a theoretical construct but also a practical one, influenced by his own experiences and observations of the political landscape of his time. Born in Athens around 427 B.C.E., Plato witnessed the long and disastrous Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta, as well as the subsequent political turmoil and the rise of corrupt regimes. He was also influenced by his teacher, Socrates, whom he considered the most just man of his time.
Plato's ideal state is a response to the problems he saw in existing forms of government, such as democracy and oligarchy. In Plato's view, democracy resulted in an "excess of liberty," where the government operated at the whim of individual desires, often at odds with the greater good. On the other hand, oligarchy was characterized by a selfish and insatiable love of money. Plato's ideal state, ruled by philosopher-kings, aims to strike a balance between these extremes, promoting social peace and cooperation by prioritizing the common good over individual desires.
To achieve this balance, Plato proposes a form of government that reconciles different partisan interests and includes aristocratic, oligarchic, and democratic elements. This mixed or composite constitution, outlined in his last dialogue, "The Laws," is a departure from the philosophical aristocracy or monarchy he advances in "The Republic." By incorporating elements of different forms of government, Plato's ideal constitution seeks to create an environment where different social groups can cooperate and contribute to the common good, thereby achieving social peace and harmony.
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Plato's view of democracy
Plato, born in Athens around 427 B.C.E., was a pupil of Socrates and a philosopher in his own right. He was related to Solon, a prominent Athenian reformer, through his mother's side. Plato's political philosophy is largely influenced by Solon's constitutional reforms, which aimed to restore righteous order or eunomia.
Plato's ideal state is one that promotes social peace and cooperation among different social groups, each contributing to and benefiting from the common good. In his work "The Republic", Plato offers a critique of democratic government, viewing it as inherently flawed and unsustainable. He categorizes governments into five types of regimes: aristocracy, timocracy (or timarchy), oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny. Aristocracy, ruled by philosophers, is considered the most ideal and just, resembling the perfect city-state.
Plato's Socrates proposes a hierarchical system of three classes in the "Republic": philosopher-kings or guardians who make decisions, soldiers or "auxiliaries" who protect society, and producers who create goods and perform other labour. This system is not a democracy in the modern sense, as the laws are made by the philosopher-kings, who are not elected. Plato argues that common people are too driven by desire and lack knowledge of the good, while philosophers have the necessary skills and knowledge to enact just laws.
Plato's critique of democracy remains relevant and influential, with modern democratic theory often responding to his arguments. While some argue that his ideal state is a utopia that cannot be achieved, others find value in his classification of government types and his belief that ruling is a skill best left to experts.
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The ideal city
Plato's ideal city, or "Kallipolis" (beautiful city), is a utopian vision of a harmonious and just society. It is a philosophical concept rather than a historical examination of existing forms of government, and it is based on the belief that true justice, happiness, and peace can only be achieved through a particular form of leadership.
Plato's ideal city is ruled by philosopher-kings or philosopher-rulers. These rulers are selected from childhood based on their moral character and physical talents. They are educated and trained to value reason over passion and to exercise superior moral, ethical, and political judgment. To avoid corruption, they do not receive any income or own private property, and they live and share everything communally, including their wives and children.
Plato's ideal city consists of three classes: producers or workers, who are the labourers and craftsmen; the guardians, who protect the city and are responsible for maintaining social order; and the philosopher-rulers, who govern the city with wisdom and virtue.
Plato's vision of the ideal city is influenced by his philosophical beliefs about the nature of reality and the human condition. He believed that what humans perceive in the physical world are merely reflections of a deeper reality that can only be accessed through philosophical reasoning. He also believed that individuals must strive to purify their souls, which are dominated by reason, by overcoming their desires and appetites.
While Plato's ideal city may seem like a utopian dream, critics argue that it is a "nowhere-utopia" because it is based on an unrealistic view of human nature. They question the feasibility of a city ruled by philosopher-kings, as it assumes a level of selflessness and moral perfection that may be unattainable in practice. Despite these criticisms, Plato's vision continues to inspire and challenge us to dream of better futures and to seek imaginative solutions to the problems we face in forging a just and harmonious society.
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Frequently asked questions
Plato's ideal constitution is a utopia, a harmonious society ruled by philosopher-kings.
Plato's ideal state consists of three classes: producers or workers, guardians, and rulers.
The rulers in Plato's ideal state are philosopher-kings, selected from childhood for their moral character and physical talents. They are wise, virtuous, and selfless.
Plato's ideal state promotes social peace by balancing conflicting interests and promoting cooperation and friendship among different social groups, each contributing to and benefiting from the common good.
Plato's ideal constitution is not based on any existing or previously extant city, but it is likely influenced by the political ideals and struggles of his time, particularly the conflict between Athens and Sparta.
