PLATO: ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN IDEAL STATE

BY

M.S. ALIYU
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA
Shamsuddeen001@yahoo.com
08036916063, 08027036063

INTRODUCTION
Plato was born of an eminent Athenian family in around 427 BC. His critical attitude towards
democracy, and his intellectual development was as a result of his association as a young man
with Socrates; from whom he derived what was always the controlling thought of his political
philosophy- the idea that virtue is knowledge. Otherwise stated, this meant the belief that there is
objectively a good life, both for individuals and for states, which may be made the object of
study, which may be defined by methodical intellectual processes, and which may therefore be
intelligently pursued. Coming to manhood at the conclusion of the Peloponnesian war, he could
hardly be expected to share Pericless enthusiasm for the happy versatility of democratic life.
His earliest thought on politics, fell just at the time when an Athenian was most likely to be
impressed by the discipline of Sparta and before the hollowness of that discipline was made
evident by the disastrous history of Spartan Empire.
As a young man, Plato had hoped for a political career and had even expected that the
aristocratic revolt of the 404 BC would bring substantial reforms in which he might bear a part.
The Oligarchic system seemed to him afterwards worse than democracy, though forthwith the
restored democracy proved its unfitness by the execution of Socrates (Redmond: 2008).
Consequently, Plato began the process of deconstruction of the Athenian system, and
reconstructing his theory of state and order. However, this paper will look at the Athenian system
of government and Sparta. This is because both systems served as a reference point for Plato in
the reconstruction of what he called the ideal state.

ATHENS
The Acropolis of Athens has been inhibited since Neolithic times. As early as 1400 BC it was
fortified in the manner of Mycenae, Tirus, and other late Bronze Age citadels. At that time and in
the subsequent dark age (1200-900 BC) that followed widespread warring among the
Mycenaean Greeks, Athens was one of a number of petty states in Attica.
Athens practiced a direct system of democracy where every adult is to participate in discussions
of matters of the polis in the general assembly. The institutions by which this body of citizenmembers undertook to transact its political business can be illustrated by taking Athens as the
best- known type of democratic constitution. The whole body of male citizens formed the
Assembly or Ecclesia, a town- meeting which every Athenian was entitled to attend after he had
reached the age of twenty.
The interesting thing about Athenian government is therefore not the Assembly of the whole
people but the political means which had been designed to make the magistrates and officials
responsible to the citizen-body and answerable to its control. The magistrates were selected from
the cross-section of the whole body of citizens, which has short term, there was a provision
against re-election and thus the way was open for other citizens to have a turn at the management
of public affairs.
Another important body of Athenian officials which was outside the scheme of choice by lot, and
which retained a much larger measure of independence than the others, was the ten generals who
were chosen by direct election and were, moreover, eligible to repeated re-elections. They were
purely military officers but especially in imperial days they actually exercised not only important

powers in foreign parts of the Athenian Empire but also very great influence over the decisions
of the council and the assembly at home.
SPARTA
The ancient city even in its most prosperous days was merely a group of five villages with
simple houses and a few public buildings. The passes leading into the valley of the Evrotas were
easily defended and Sparta had no walls until the end of 4 th century BC. The inhabitants of
Laconia were divide into Helots (slaves), who performed all agricultural work; Perioeci, a
subject class of free men without political rights, who were mainly tradesmen and merchants,
and the spartiatai, or governing class, rulers and soldiers, descended from the Dorians, who had
migrated to the area about 1100BC (Redmond: 2008) .
The foundation of Spartan greatness was attributed to the legislation of Lycurgus, but was more
probably the result of ascetic reforms introduced about 600 BC. From 6 th century on, Spartans
looked upon themselves as merely a military garrison, and all their discipline pointed towards
war (ibid). At age seven, a Spartan boy was taken from his mother and raised in barracks. They
were whipped to inculcate respect (aidos) and obedience; they went ill clad to make them tough;
and they were starved to make them resist to hunger. If they get too hungry, they are encouraged
to try stealing (as a way of improving their stealth) but were punished if caught (Lendon: 2005).
Girls, while not trained militarily, were expected to train physically. Fitness was considered to be
as important for females as it was for males, and girls took part in races and trials of strength;
this include running, wrestling, discus and javelin throwing. They also learn to manage horses;
they drove carriages in processions and at the Hyacinthia- a festival of Apollo and Hyancinthus
(Blundell: 1995).
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Spartan in time developed a system of dual kingship (two kings ruling at once). Their power was
counter-balanced by the elected board of ephors (who only serve a single one-year term). There
was also a council of elders (gerousia), each member of which was over the age of 60 and could
serve for life. The general assembly, which consisted of each citizen, also had the chance to vote
on legislation.
DECONSTRUCTION
Platos Republic was an indictment of the Athenian way of life and its vibrant participatory
democracy. Plato dismissed the Athenian practice of happy versatility whereby every Greek
male adult could participate in the political process and offer a political opinion, as amateurism.
He attacked democracy for the incompetence and ignorance of politicians, for that gave rise to
factionalism, extreme violence, and partisan politics, which were the cause of political instability.
Moreover, democracy did not tolerate highly gifted persons; a view that was reinforced by the
execution of Socrates.
Plato wrote at the time when Athens was at the cross road after its defeat in the Peloponnesian
war. The defeat of Athens was due to an error in the military strategy. The clash between Athens
and Sparta was depicted by Plato as representing two opposing ideologies competing political
systems and different lifestyles. Athens was individualistic, excelling in literary pursuit, highly
creative, democratic and open. Sparta on the other hand was statist, regimented, oligarchic and
militaristic. Plato concluded that Spartan military victory was due to its political and social
systems. He tried to infuse the communitarian spirit of Sparta into the individualistic Athenian
society, and temper democracy with aristocratic values.

Leaders in Athens were elected through the cast of lots. This is particularly what Plato rejected as
the ruler ship is open to everyone, thereby denying the knowledgeable what was due to them. He
believed that, only when the knowledgeable and no other persons rule that justice will prevail in
the society. Thus the total happiness of the society is achieved only when philosophers become
kings, or kings become philosophers.
Women in Athens had no right to participate in the affairs of the polis. This also was not accepted
by Plato, as he sees both genders capable of providing good life for the society. Thereby did not
differentiate between them in his ideal state.
Besides his admiration for the Spartan model, Plato was philosophically influenced by some of
his predecessors and contemporaries, one of which was Pythagoras; from whom he borrowed
many ideas including; the importance of mathematics, belief in other worldliness and in the
immortality of the human soul, sexual equality, and the idea of the philosopher ruler.
Plato also belittled the sophists In general. Sophism was a rival school of Socratic tradition.
Philosophically, it stood for relativism, skepticism, individualism, and humanism, and was
generally acknowledged as founder of democracy and social change.
RECONSTRUCTION
What Plato desired to do was to set an ideal for the state even for the times to come. He also
wanted to lay down standards or principles which the state ought to follow under all
circumstances and become ultimate goals and objectives which it should struggle to achieve. His
ideal state was not bound by any customs and conventions but a romance of free intelligence.
To him (Plato), it was superiority virtue which mattered much in the administration of the state.
If the wise and the virtuous rule the state there can be no doubt that an ideal state can be
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achieved, as in the case of human beings that reason and spirit dominate appetite, so as the case
with the state. In an ideal state, only a few reasonable shall rule.
Plato starts with the human beings and divides soul into three elements namely: Reason
(Rational), Spirit (forceful), and Appetite (Concupiscent). In each soul, one of these qualities
would be the predominant faculty. Individuals in whom the rational faculty was predominant
would constitute the ruling class, and the virtue of such a soul was wisdom. This soul, a lover of
learning, had the power to comprehend the idea of good. These in whom spirit was the
predominant quality were the auxiliaries or warriors, and the virtue of such souls was courage,
implying the ability to hold on to ones convictions and beliefs in adverse times. Together, the
rulers and soldiers would constitute the guardian class. According to him (Plato), appetite gives
birth to love, he however, attached great importance to Reason (Rational) alone. In the Ideal
State, there shall be functional specialization. There shall be overproduction to raise national
wealth, the warriors shall defend the frontiers and the philosophers will rule the nation.
Therefore, the diagram below depicts Platos conception of the Ideal State:
Virtue
Wisdom
Courage
Temperance
(Suprata and Sushila:1999)

Soul
Rational
Spirited
Appetitive

Class
Rulers
Soldiers
Artisans

To Plato, the good life is possible only in and through society (state). Society is a natural
institution. The state exists for the sake of the good life. To him (Plato), the aim of the good
society is neither freedom nor economic wellbeing. Rather, the aim of the good society is justice.
That justice is an object of knowledge. That is why the statesman must be a philosopher. If not,
he will only lead the state downwards towards self-destruction. He (Plato) therefore maintained
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that an individual person is just when all the elements of the soul function properly in harmony
and due subordination of the lower to the higher. So also, the state is just when all the classes
and individuals in it perform their due functions in the proper way. Plato concludes in the
Republic, that in the perfect state the people who should govern are those who are superior in
the ways of philosophy and war. Plato calls these ideal rulers philosopher-kings (Mingst,
1999).
FEATURES OF PLATOS IDEAL STATE
In an attempt for the construction of an Ideal State, Plato observed that there should be the
following features:

The Rule of Philosopher Kings: According to Plato, an Ideal state must be governed by
a philosopher king who should be a passionless person and seeker of truth and wisdom.
He should also be above all types of prejudices and be a symbol of human wisdom. By
his actions he should command respect from all. He should possess high qualities of lead
and heart, and shall not be corrupted by concentration of power of his own hands. He
should combine in himself virtue and knowledge. He is not to be bound by any laws;

such a king could be in a position to look after the welfare of all.

Specialized Soldiers: Plato well realized that defense of the state was most essential for
all states. He (Plato), therefore, gave this responsibility to soldiers. He believed that these
people should not be ordinary soldiers, but persons specially trained for the purpose.

Division of Labor: Platos ideal state has three classes namely; rulers at the head to
govern, soldiers to defend, and peasants and artisans to work for the betterment of the
economic conditions of the people living in it. Each section of the society was required to
attain perfection in the particular assigned job. According to Plato, it was only in class
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division that each class could give security, property and proper administration to the
people, and thus, helps in promoting collective welfare. Unless society was divided into
classes, no good could be done to the people.
Ordinarily Plato did not wish to impose any limitations on the authority of the
philosopher king. To him (Plato), virtue in action could not be corrupted. In fact, a close
study of the power and position of his philosopher king would reveal that he was
Hobbesian Leviathan.
Plato believed in a system of complete functional specialization. He did not like that each
and everybody should go on performing functions of the type which were not suited to
his temperament and taste. He was of the firm view that everyone should perform
functions assigned to him and should not try to go beyond it. Thus, the king should rule
and let soldiers fight along on the battle field. But he wished that everybody should be
completely devoted to the task assigned to him and should try to attain perfection in that

field.
State Control Education System: An ideal state rule by philosopher was made possible
through an elaborate and rigorous scheme of education. According to Plato, state should
have full and final control over education. For him (Plato), it was only the agency which
could produce philosopher kings and train the minds and thoughts of the people in the
right and proper direction. In his philosophy, education had both social and individual
aspects. In society, education should promote social welfare, while individually it should
bring soul closer to reality. According to Plato, children were national possession and as
such, it was obligatory on the part of the state to bring them up according to their
aptitude. He also believed that ultimately, the children should be under state control and
the state should not only provide them proper education, nourishment and development
but proper work as well.
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For Plato, human faculties were not hereditary. An individuals functional role in society
was determined by his own natural aptitude, and not by parental lineage. To ensure that
the parents did not manipulate to get the best for their child, they were made to give up
their child to the state, which in turn would categorize and educate him in the appropriate
faculty that he was endowed with.
Plato started the process of acquiring a childs education from the elementary stage. That
elementary education would be confined to the guardian class till the age of 18, followed
by 2years of compulsory military training, and then by higher education for those
qualified. While elementary education made the soul responsive to the environment,
higher education helped the soul to search for truth which illuminated it. At the age of 20,
a selection was made. The best ones would now take an advanced course in mathematics,
which would include arithmetic plane and solid geometric, astronomy and harmonics.
These helped easily in acquiring the vision of idea of Good.
Those who did not qualified to join this exclusive category of esoteric minds would
become soldiers, and form the second tiers of the ruling elite. The first course in the
scheme of higher education would last for 10years. It would be for those who had a flair
for science. At the age of 30 there would be another selection. Those who qualified would
study dialectics or metaphysics, logic and philosophy for the next 5years. They would
study the idea of Good and the first principles of being. They would receive partial
experience for ruling. They will accept junior positions in military and political life till
the age of 35. This period will last for the next 15years. By the age of 50 the philosopher
ruler was fully equipped (Subtrata and Sushila,1999).

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Proper Administration of Justice: According to Plato, justice was an essential and

integral part of a state and it kept various organs and individuals in close harmony with
each other. Therefore, he pleaded that justice should be properly administered. His
concept of justice was somewhat different than the modern one. It was not a legal concept
as well, but something quite different from it. It was something in which there was

functional specialization and everybody was required to remain within his limit.
Equal Treatment of Men and Women: According to Platos Ideal State, the philosopher
king should make all efforts in developing character of both men and women. Both
should be brought up as useful citizens, as both are an integral part of the state and as
such, there should be no distinction between the two, in so far as development of their

faculties is concerned.
Communism of Wives and Property: He believed that if the ruling class was to perform
it duties devotedly and honestly, it was essential that there should be communism of
wives and property. As long as rulers were not free from the bondage of family life and
rose above narrow interests of possessing maximum of private property they shall never
be in a position to solely devote themselves to the work of the state. Without such a

communism, there was every possibility of their becoming corrupt and selfish.
Restriction of Art and Literature: According to Plato, in Ideal state, there should be
positive restriction on the production of art and literature. According to him (Plato), in
such a state no cheap, unpopular or immoral literature should come before the people.
The people should have only literature of a type which promotes high moral character
and develops character, wisdom and intelligence.

DISCUSSION: CONTEMPORARY RELEVANCE OF PLATOS THEORY

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Many of Platos Ideal principles of state held relevance and continue to hold relevance till the
present day:
Firstly, the general belief that leader should be qualified through education and that voters should
be empowered to make informed decisions. Many societies also subscribe to the idea of
meritocracy, where the ability to rule is measured independently of wealth, gender or other forms
of privileges. Platos blue prints for the new society were designed to be instated in three
weaves, three waves to wash the corruption and bring the new ideals. The first consists of the
new ruling class of Guardians to be established with only philosopher-kings by this only the
knowledgeable can succeed in rule. Prof. John Atta Mills of Ghana, who was knowledgeable, led
his people successfully until his death. On the other hand, some believe that Good luck Jonathan
of Nigeria is not intelligent, to them, the security challenges that is continuously increasing in the
country is a clear manifestation of his inability to rule.
The second wave consisted of the Guardians being a mixture of men and women. This idea was
extremely radical for its time, as women were not politically involved in that era. They were not
active until relatively in recent times, measuring that Plato as a philosopher was quite
knowledgeable not first by ancient Greek standards but modern day standards also. Now Brazil,
Germany and Liberia are ruled by President Dilma Ruseff, Angela Merkel and Ellen Johnson
Sirleaf respectively, etc. which was Platos idea that even women too can lead.
The third wave was that the Guardians would live communally without private property of their
own, Platos fear was that if they are allowed private property, they will amass wealth and they
will soon turn to tyrants, and there wouldnt be a just society. Its relevance could be seen in how

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contemporary leaders amass wealth and turn their followership into slaves. Nigerian politicians
are a typical example; they amass wealth and buy votes and weapons to the hoodlums.
Plato argued that for a society to have stability there must be proper administration of justice.
This is the case in todays world; we hardly can identify a country where absolute justice
prevails. This situation of lack of proper justice can be the best explanation for instability mostly
experienced in the world today. There is phenomenon of terrorism which almost took the center
stage in world affairs can be seen as a peoples response to the prevailing injustice in their
societies.
Also, on the aspect of specialized soldier, Plato believed that soldiers are special people trained
for specific purpose of guarding the state. This is why military today is gaining more attention in
the world over. In the recent work of terrorism and insurgencies, states resort to the use of force
to neutralize these insurgencies. This is evident in the continuous rise in the military budget in
most countries of the world today. In Nigeria for instance, the military received about a trillion
naira, in U.S about $600 billion, etc.
More recent history continues to show appropriation of Platos work, albeit in very different
forms. Max Nomad found significant parallels between the supposedly classless society of the
Soviet Union under Nikita Kruschev and Platos ideal society. This included the division in
Soviet society between peasants and merchants, the warrior/soldier and finally, the members of
the elite government.
In justifying the fear of Plato that democracy lead to the rule of incompetence and ignorant
personalities which in turn leads to violence and instability, the global democracy is testifying
Platos fear. An individual of secondary school education stand to determine the salaries and
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allowances of a professor or even appointing him to be his personal assistant or special assistant.
In todays democracy only being a wife of a leader qualifies a woman to an office approvals and
disapprovals.
CRITICAL EVALUATION
While Platos admirers have been numerous, he has had his share of critics too. Most of his
recent critics have been in the twentieth century within the liberal perspective or tradition. They
assailed Plato for his hostility towards progress, humanitarian, and democratic ideas, and
regarded him as the philosophical forerunner of modern day totalitarianism.
The major fault in the theory of the Ideal state is that the political structure that Plato intended for
the polis was never disclosed. Even with the philosopher kings instated there isnt any law
spoken of, this gives way to the crazy notion that there wouldnt be need for laws as the citizens
could be so blissful that they would have no want or need to commit a criminal act.
As cited in (Subrata and Sushila, 1999), the Platonic Ideal was criticized by Aristotle for
confusing unity with harmony; if a political community was tightly organized and unified, it
would cease to be a political association. The essence of a state and the family represent two
different kinds of organizations and both ought to remain that way without either imitating the
other.
Non-development of human personality if, at all, Platonic ideal state materializes, it is very
much doubtful whether proper development of human personality shall be possible in such a
state. Plato has preached functional specialization which implies devotion to ones duty and
perfection in a particular direction. Such perfection can only be achieved when other aspects are
either absolutely ignored or are not properly developed.
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CONCLUSION
This is of course sufficient weight in the criticism advance against his theory; but at the same
time the most important contribution of his theory is that he has set forth certain targets for the
succeeding generations to strive for and to achieve those at the earliest. The core of his
philosophy still remained unchanged state-controlled system of education is even today being
introduced in the socialist states. No civilized state can disown its responsibility of imparting
education to its citizens. The nations even now try to find out the best disciplined mind and train
to head the state which can be compared to the idea of philosopher king.
A modern state is more a welfare rather than a police state. Platos stress on virtuous people is
even today appreciated. He rather very correctly said and that is true as well even today that, the
state do not come out of an oak or a rock but from the characters of men that dwell therein and
this being so he who wishes to study the characters of men will do well to study their states. It is
not the number of people who live in the state which matters but what matters is number of
virtuous people. If there are still certain defects in the basic theory, due consideration must be
given to the times in which he was expounding that. His theory, in his own times and
circumstances, was well suited and practicable as well as attainable.

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