PLATO:

SALIENT FEATURES OF PLATO’S IDEAL STATE

RULE OF SPECIALIZATION ARISTROCRACY COMMUNISM
PHILOSOPHY + division of labor + not every common + to keep the ruling
+ Philosopher king and specialization in man can become a class away from
+ Practices functions ruler worldly temptations
virtue(knowledge is + one man one work + few able + for rulers and
virtue) + rulers, soldiers, intellectual people soldiers
+ Can differentiate producers + communism of
between reality and property, wives and
appearance children

JUSTICE EDUCATION ABSOLUTISM EQUALITY RESTRICTION

+ justice binds + special system + The ruler’s + equal + restriction on
society in of education authority is opportunity for certain types of
harmony + differentiates absolute and both men and art and
+ Every person capable from should not be women literature
should get equal incapable questioned in + Kings and
opportunity to + maintains a any soldiers should
work upon constant supply circumstances. not be taught
his/her aptitude. of guardians certain type of
+ helps poetry as it
individuals find makes them
their true coward.
vocation
 PLATO’S JUSTICE:
“Giving every man what is his due”.

THREE MAIN DRIVING FORCES:

1. APPETITE/DESIRE: producers (largest)  artisans

2. COURAGE/SPIRIT: soldiers (2nd largest)  guardians
3. REASON/LOGIC: Rulers (smallest)  kings
Every person contains all three, but one is always pre-dominant.
To Plato, a state which arranges a system in which every person, artisan,
soldier/guardian, ruler, is doing what he ought to do is an ideal state hence a just state.

CHARACTERISTICS:

1. Absolutism/non-interference
2. Specialization
3. Division of society

CRITICISM:

1. Non-interference is impossible
2. Static way of life
3. Completely ignores rights
4. Lack of opportunities
5. Such division of society is not possible.
 PLATO’S EDUCATION:

BACKGROUND:

 Weak Athenian system of education.

 Private education, not sufficient for making leaders.
 There was only elementary education.

STRUCTURE OF THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM:

ELEMENTARY

STAGE 1:

AGE: 7 years

SUBJECTS: bravery and patriotism stories

RESPONSIBILITY: parents

STAGE 2:

AGE: 7-18 years

SUBJECTS: music (poetry and literature) + gymnastics

Scrutiny of literature leaving behind only patriotic literature

RESPONSIBIITY: state

STAGE 3: MILLITARY TRAINING

AGE: 18-20 (2 YEARS)

SCREENING TEST:

FAIL PASS
 HIGHER EDUCATION:

STAGE 1:

AGE: 20-35 years

SUBJECTS: mathematics + astronomy (first 10 years)

Dialects + philosophy (last five years)

STAGE 2:

AGE: 35-50 years.

SUBJECTS: concrete and practical principles.

FAIL PASS

GUARDIAN CLASS

RULING CLASS (only a handful of people)

CRITICISM:

1. Too lengthy
2. Anti-democratic: leads to the rule of minority, totalitarianism.
3. Ignores some very important subjects (economics, law, political science).
 PLATO’ COMMUNISM:
COMMUNISM OF WIVES:
“Parents were parents of all, and children were children of all”
 Applies to the upper classes (military, ruling class).
 No monogamous relationships in these communities were allowed.
 Off springs are the responsibility of state.
 Breeding was to be regulated to produce the best stock
 Abortion, infanticide, and ignoring the chronically ill and unfit were the tools suggested
by him to control the size and quality of the community.
COMMUNISM OF PROPERTY:
 Property is a disruptive force (a source of disagreements).
 Cannot be completely abolished or eliminated.
 Allowed only to artisans (as their major force appetite).
 Compulsory for military and ruling class (as the major forces are spirit and reason).
 For eliminating competition.

AIMS OF COMMUNISM:
 Efficiency
 Honesty
 Devotion
 Concentration of attention
 Selflessness
 Unity and harmony.

CRITICISM:
1. Against human psychology
2. Ignores the importance of family
3. Ignores fundamental human parental instincts.
4. Impracticable.