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Plato’s Concept of ideal state
Western Political Thought (PLH-I11-3)
Jamia Millia Islamia
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Plato’s Concept of ideal state
Plato was influenced greatly by Socrates' dictum that "virtue is knowledge." Only wise people, he believed, should rule. As a result, he devises a plan for an ideal state in which only a select few are permitted to rule after extensive training. It may be unpractical in the sense that there is no link between various elements of an ideal state and the vast majority of people outside of politics. Plato, on the other hand, sees himself as defining the universal nature that every state possesses to some extent. "A state, I said, arises out of the needs of mankind," he quotes. "No one is self-sufficient, but we all have many wants; can any other origin of a state be imagined?" Individuals with numerous desires require a large number of acquaintances to fulfil them. The state was formed when these associates gathered in one place. The medium through which one receives and gives to others is called exchange. Individuals can band together to form a state using it. The concept of necessity was also used to create the state. Workers, farmers, builders, and weavers all contribute to the context's goal by providing food, shelter, and clothing. As a result, we'll need a group of people who are linked by a strange bond. What is the bond that binds people together in a state? It is the mutual economic dependence that results from an individual's limited capacity to meet his own needs with natural diversity while also meeting the needs of others. Plato attempted to create a good society based on justice. The state is the only way to achieve the good. The institution of society is a natural one. Man is primarily a social and political creature. The state exists for the purpose of securing a good life. The goal of a good society is not freedom or economic prosperity, but justice, as Plato observed. Justice must be observed in a true state. The state does not determine what constitutes justice. Justice is a subject of study. As a result, the state must be led by a philosopher. Plato advanced the idea in Politicus that the perfect ruler's judgement is superior to any written law. He claimed that the perfect ruler, not laws, could bring about an ideal state. In platonic republic, the ideal state describes that all one needs to do is live a happy life and ignore the rest. He looked at the just state in three stages, including--- i. The guardians- leaders, noble class ii. The auxiliaries- the military class iii. The artisans- the working class
The guardians- The state's guardians or leaders must be philosophers because they are responsible for organising the state's life, determining educational principles, and allocating various tasks within the state to its various members. As a result, they must be aware of what is truly true and good. The primary responsibility of public authorities is to protect citizens' morality to the extent that it can be preserved. The state's leader will be chosen from the guardian class. They must be the best of the guardian class, intelligent, powerful, and solely concerned with the welfare of the state. The state's interests must be aligned with their own. As a result, those chosen must be monitored throughout their childhood and adolescence. Those who have always done what is best for the state and have never strayed from this path will be chosen as rulers. The auxiliaries - They are devoted exclusively to the conduct of war. Members of this class must be courageous and intellectually gifted. They must be philosophic; for they must know who are the true enemies of the state and must be very well educated. The artisans - Weavers, farmers, artisans, musicians, poets, tutors, cooks, shoemakers, carpenters, nurses, smiths, and so forth are among them. However, in his most famous work, "the Republic," Plato discusses the theory of an ideal state, including how to construct an ideal commonwealth, who should rule the ideal state, and how to achieve justice in the ideal state. Plato believes that the state is a better place to discuss an individual's morality because everything is easier to see in the large than in the small. The elements that make up a city correspond to the elements that make up a person's soul. There isn't a separate morality for the individual and the state. Every state is divided into three sections, each of which is divided into three classes. The elements that make up the human soul are as follows: –
- Bodily appetite
- Spirited element
- Reason There are three classes: producing, military, and ruling. The political institution was established in order to meet the people's various challenges. There was only one class at first, the producing class, followed by the guardian and ruling classes. The producer class in a state will be made up of people whose bodily appetites are dominant and who live for money. Farmers, blacksmiths, fisherman, carpenters, shoemakers, weavers, labourers, merchants, retailers, and bankers make up the producer class. The life of the producer class is far less difficult than
desires. It is compelled to act aggressively because it is unable to meet its own needs. Aggression can result from a lack of economic self-sufficiency, resulting in the original state's poor health. However, it is a result and symptom of a disordered constitution, not of a healthy one.
Plato’s Concept of ideal state
Course: Western Political Thought (PLH-I11-3)
University: Jamia Millia Islamia
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