PLATO

(427-347 BC)

Justice and Ideal State

 Plato’s Introduction

• Plato was born in an autocratic family of the Athens.

• He shocked when his beloved master Socrates was killed by
ruler, then he decided not to take part in active politics, and
he spent his life in teaching and writing in order to reform
human and society.
• After the death of his great master, he travelled for more
than 10 years in different states; and established an Academy
in 387 BC.
• He died at an advanced age of 80 at a wedding feast.
• Plato wrote many books, like: The Republic, The Statesman, The
Laws are few examples.
• Among them, the Republic is very important which analyzed
about Justice and Ideal State.
 Plato’s Concept of Justice

• He first reviews the various old theories of justice and

then constructs his own views on Justice.
• The traditional theory of justice: Cephalus, who
represents the traditional or customary concept of justice,
defines justice as consisting in speaking the truth and
paying one's debt.
• This theory was rejected on the ground that, it is not of
universal application.
• Sophist theory of justice: Thrasymachus, who was the
spokesperson of radical sophists, defines justice as the
interest of stronger.
• Thus, justice is the interest of rulers who holds the state's
power and rule over the people.
 Cont’d

• Glaucon's theory of justice: Glaucon supports to

Thrasymachus to his great contribution for establishing a
radical concept of justice.
• Glaucon defines justice in negative sense and says it is
good to be injustice but bad to tolerate such injustice.
Because, he says, injustice encourages people to adopt
further development in their life standard.
 Plato's Idea on Justice
• Having the reviewed and rejected other theories of justice given
above, Plato gives own views of justice.
• He discovers and defines justice with the help of his ideal state
from which justice is inseparable. Relation of justice and ideal
state is like soul and body – fair mind and fair body.
• He says that justice resides in the state and is to be identified with
complete virtue, which is composed of four elements; like:
wisdom; courage; self control and justice.
• A state is called wise if the ruling class displays wisdom in the
management of its affairs.
 Cont’d

• It is known as brave if the military class displays courage both in

the peace and war.
• It would exhibit self control if the producing and military classes
recognize the need of submitting to the control of the ruling class.
• To understand Platonic concept on Justice, Barker says,
• "The will to concentrate on one's own sphere of duty and not
to meddle with the sphere of others, and its habitation,
therefore, is the heart of every citizen who does his duty in his
appointed place". Justice is thus the principle that each person
should limit himself to the function for which he is best fitted
by nature and nurture.
 Cont’d
• Plato classified human soul in three categories;
• like: reason, spirit and appetite.
• Those who have more of reason can be made fit to become the
philosopher ruler of the state.
• Some have more spirit which makes them courageous, then they
must be made military guardians.
• The remaining are workers and articians who possess appetite and
are moved by selfishness.
• These three classes must perform their proper functions (like one
person one work) in the state if the justice is to be realized or if
the state is to be made an ideal one.
 Plato’s Ideal State

• Due to injustice death of Master Socrates, Plato became very

indifference in the matter of City State. Then he established a
concept and principle Ideal State.
• He discussed about Communism, Ideal Education and Justice to
established Ideal State in his Era.
• He says, Justice is required to unite people each other, education is
required to make honest people and ruler as well as communism is
required to make accountable ruler.
• He divided human responsibility into three parts, like producer,
military and ruler.
 Elements of Plato’s Ideal State
• Rule of Philosophy: Plato says, if political power and scientific
knowledge (philosophy) are not united in one person, then there is
no end of evil for the states and also for mankind. It means ruler
(political ruler) should have power of knowledge and philosophy.
• State regulated education: All the rulers must pass through this
established and state controlled system of training or education.
The curriculum for the higher education is to be composed of the
scientific studies such as mathematics, astronomy, logic and
dialectics.
 In Plato’s Ideal State

Communism of property and families/wives:

• According to Plato, the philosopher ruler should have no
other interest than that of the state.
• Plato says, the ruler/philosopher should be freed from
the cares of his family and private property.
• They should be devoted more to the affairs of the state.
For that, they should not have their own family/wives
and property.
 In Plato’s Ideal State
Functional Specialization: There are three classes in the state.
• Firstly, there is class of philosopher-guardians like perfect rulers
representing reason; they are fit for the highest duties of
statesmanship.
• Secondly, there are ordinary guardians like, auxiliaries representing
the element of spirit; they are fit to rule but only under the control
and direction of others.
• Lastly, there are non- guardians like common people, reflecting the
element of appetite, who are fitted by nature to work but not to
rule.
• When the philosopher-ruler carry out the duties of the state, the
other members of the society must perform their allocated
functions. This is known as the functional specialization of Plato.
 Plato’s Ideal State

• Justice: a state was ideal, if justice prevails as supreme.

According to him, justice is inseparable from his ideal
state.
• Equality of Men and Women: Plato gives same status to
men and women as to be ruler from both sexes.
• Censorship of Art and Literature: He advocates a strict
censorship of the art and literature and says that, if the
art and literature go against the interest of the state, they
must be destroyed.