Isabella Carter
Plato's ideal constitution is a utopian vision of a state where people live together peacefully and harmoniously, with social groups coexisting in an environment of cooperation and friendship. Plato's ideal city, called 'Kallipolis' or 'beautiful city', features three classes: philosopher-kings or guardians who govern, soldiers or auxiliaries who defend the society, and producers who create goods and perform other labour. The philosopher-kings, selected from childhood for their moral character and physical talents, are the wisest, most virtuous, and selfless members of society, ruling by reason and pursuing truth over their own ambitions. Plato's ideal state is geographically structured as a hierarchical city-state, with each class contributing to and benefiting from the common good.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Form of Government | Philosophical aristocracy or monarchy |
| Rulers | Philosopher-kings or guardians |
| Ruling Class Characteristics | Wise, virtuous, selfless |
| Selection of Rulers | Based on moral character and physical talents |
| Education of Rulers | Trained in the superiority of reason and the bridling of passions |
| Number of Classes | 3 |
| Other Classes | Soldiers or "auxiliaries", and producers |
| Definition of Aristocracy | Rule of the best, i.e., a society led by its greatest citizens |
| Ideal State | A utopia |
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What You'll Learn
Plato's ideal state
The philosopher-kings or guardians are at the top of the hierarchy and are meant to be the most wise, virtuous, and selfless. They are selected from childhood for their moral character and physical talents and are educated and trained in the superiority of reason and the control of passions. To combat corruption, Plato's Socrates suggests that these rulers should live simply and communally, and that sex should not be a factor in deciding who rules, meaning that women can rule alongside men.
The soldiers or "auxiliaries" form the second class and are responsible for protecting the city and its constitution.
The third class is made up of producers who create the goods and perform the other work needed by the city.
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The three classes
Plato's ideal state is a philosophical aristocracy or monarchy, led by wise and virtuous philosopher-kings. In his work, *The Republic*, Plato, through the character of Socrates, outlines a hierarchical system of three classes.
The first class is that of the philosopher-kings or "guardians", who are responsible for ruling and making decisions. These rulers are selected from childhood based on their moral character and physical talents. They are educated and trained to value reason over their passions and ambitions. According to Plato, the happiest and most just states are those ruled by reason, led by people who care more about the pursuit of truth than their own desires.
The second class is that of the soldiers or "auxiliaries", whose role is to protect the society and guard the city and its constitution.
The third class is that of the producers, who create goods and perform other necessary work to meet the needs of the city.
Plato's ideal state is not merely about the division of classes but also about the psychological constitution of the individuals within these classes. He identifies five kinds of pure psychological constitutions: aristocratically constituted persons (ruled by rational attitudes), timocratically constituted persons (ruled by spirited attitudes), oligarchically constituted persons (ruled by necessary appetitive attitudes), democratically constituted persons (ruled by unnecessary appetitive attitudes), and tyrannically constituted persons (ruled by lawless appetitive attitudes).
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Philosopher-kings
In Plato's Republic, the character Socrates outlines an ideal city-state called 'Kallipolis' (beautiful city). This city-state is divided into three classes, with philosopher-kings or guardians at the top, making decisions for the state. Below them are soldiers or "auxiliaries" who protect the society, and finally, the producers who create goods and do other work.
Plato's philosopher-kings are the most wise, virtuous, and selfless. They are selected from childhood for their moral character and physical talents and are educated and trained in the superiority of reason and the bridling of passions. To combat corruption, Socrates suggests that these rulers live simply and communally. He also challenges societal norms by proposing that sex should not be a factor in deciding who should rule, allowing women to rule alongside men.
Plato's ideal state is one where the rulers are not driven by personal ambition or desire but instead by the pursuit of truth and reason. This is because Plato believed that greedy and ambitious people, whose impulses are out of control, would use their power to further their own interests and material wealth, rather than for the common good. Thus, for Plato, the best political order is one that promotes social peace and cooperation among different social groups, each contributing to and benefiting from the common good.
Plato's philosopher-kings can be understood in the context of his five kinds of pure psychological constitutions. Philosopher-kings are "aristocratically constituted persons", ruled by their rational attitudes. They are contrasted with "timocratically constituted persons", ruled by their spirited attitudes, "oligarchically constituted persons", ruled by necessary appetites, "democratically constituted persons", ruled by unnecessary appetites, and finally, "tyrannically constituted persons", ruled by lawless appetites.
While Plato presents philosophical arguments for this form of government, it is unclear if such an "idealized" state could ever exist in practice. Some argue that Plato's ideal constitution is a nowhere-utopia as humans are psychologically unable to create and sustain such a city.
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The happiest and most just states
In Plato's Republic, the character Socrates outlines an ideal city-state called 'Kallipolis' (beautiful city). Plato's happiest and most just state is geographically structured into three classes, each with a distinct role and function.
The first class is the ruling class, composed of philosopher-kings or guardians who are responsible for decision-making. These rulers are selected based on their moral character and physical talents, and wisdom. They are virtuous and selfless, prioritizing the pursuit of truth and the common good over personal ambitions and desires.
The second class is the auxiliary class, consisting of soldiers or "auxiliaries" who protect the society. They guard the city and its constitution, ensuring stability and security.
The third class is the producing class, which includes all other citizens who create goods and perform other necessary work to meet the needs of the city.
Plato's ideal state is not just about the division of classes but also about the psychological constitution of its citizens. He identifies five kinds of psychological constitutions: aristocratic, timocratic, oligarchic, democratic, and tyrannical. The happiest and most just states are those with a high proportion of aristocratically constituted persons, ruled by reason and wisdom.
Plato's ideal state may seem like a utopia, but some argue that it is a "nowhere-utopia" as humans are psychologically unable to create and sustain such a city. Nonetheless, Plato's vision of a harmonious and just society continues to inspire and provide a framework for understanding human psychology and political philosophy.
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Plato's five forms of government
The first and ideal form of government is an aristocracy, ruled by a philosopher king. This ruler would possess the qualities to be the rightful king and maintain peace and harmony in the ideal society. Philosophers are qualified to rule because they have an understanding of the truth and their wisdom allows them to understand justice.
The second form of government is a timocracy, which is a government driven by honour and ambition. In this form, a certain amount of property is required as a qualification for office.
The third form is an oligarchy, or government of wealth, which arises from timocracy. In an oligarchy, a small number of people hold power, distinguished by wealth, family ties, or other factors. This form of government values wealth above all else and citizens are driven by the pursuit of wealth.
The fourth form is democracy, which Plato saw as a natural development from oligarchy. In a democracy, citizens are free to say and do what they like, and there is a sense of equality among people. However, Plato also critiques democracy, arguing that it can lead to a disregard for authority and a lack of respect for the law.
The fifth and final form is tyranny, the worst form of government according to Plato. Tyranny is characterised by a ruler who rules without law, seeking their own advantage and using cruel tactics.
Plato's work on the forms of government remains relevant today, with many finding parallels between his descriptions and modern capitalist democracies.
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Frequently asked questions
Plato's ideal form of government is a philosophical aristocracy or monarchy, also known as "the rule of the best". This society would be led by its greatest citizens, selected from childhood for their moral character and physical talents.
Plato's ideal state, also known as Kallipolis (beautiful city), consists of three classes: philosopher-kings or guardians who make decisions, soldiers or "auxiliaries" who protect the society, and producers who create goods and do other work.
Plato's ideal state consists of five kinds of pure psychological constitutions: aristocratically constituted persons (ruled by rational attitudes), timocratically constituted persons (ruled by spirited attitudes), oligarchically constituted persons (ruled by necessary appetitive attitudes), democratically constituted persons (ruled by unnecessary appetitive attitudes), and tyrannically constituted persons (ruled by lawless appetitive attitudes).
