Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Plato
Plato
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:
ELEMENTARY
STAGE 1:
AGE: 7 years
RESPONSIBILITY: parents
STAGE 2:
SCREENING TEST:
FAIL PASS
HIGHER EDUCATION:
STAGE 1:
STAGE 2:
FAIL PASS
GUARDIAN CLASS
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.