THE REPUBLIC

Plato
 • Plato was born into a wealthy Athenian family.
around 429 BC.
• he grew up during the Peloponnesian War (431 –
404 BC)
• Around the age of 20, Plato joined the circle of
Socrates
• Socrates did not conduct his philosophical inquiries
through writing. So, Plato used to observe him.
INTRODUCTION
• In the republic, Plato identifies some of the
challenges in attaining a just society
• Plato transcribes a dialogue between the Socrates
and some of his followers
• Socrates is given the task of creating the perfect
city. However, most of what is written is Plato’s
view of society.
 HOW TO CREATE AA PERFECT CITY?

• In order to succeed in creating the perfect city, Plato, speaking through

Socrates, develops his ideas on several different levels of thought.
• Since a perfect city would be run by a perfectly developed society, Socrates
first analyzes the class divisions of the populace.
• As Socrates sees it, the perfect city would have its citizens divided into two
separate groups, of which, the first group would be further subdivided within
itself.
 PLATO'S THREE CLASSES

• First Class: Guardians

These are sometimes referred to as rulers or philosopher-kings. The guardians are
the military of the city. They must portray physical strength, spiritedness, and a
love for learning.
They had political power because they were considered wise.
Plato believed that good society can only happen when political power and
philosophy meet.
As Socrates further speculates upon the guardians, he then decides that they should
be broken into subcategories themselves: complete guardians and auxiliaries.
 SUBCATEGORIES OF GUARDIANS

• Complete Guardians
The complete guardians are the highest class within Plato’s Republic.
They are the rulers and “the ones who guard external enemies and internal
friends” (Plato 99, ll. 414b).
Complete guardians will be most knowledgeable, they will see to the good of the
city before they see to themselves, because, essentially, they are the foundation of
the city.
 SUBCATEGORIES OF GUARDIANS

• Auxiliary Guardians
The auxiliaries are the city’s soldiers. They are the “supporters of the guardians’
convictions” (99, ll. 414b).
They were devoted exclusively to war. The members of this class must be
courageous and intellectually gifted.
They must be philosophic, so they will be able to identify who the true enemies of
state really are.
 PLATO'S THREE CLASSES

• Third Class: Farmers and Craftsman

Socrates states that the third class will be the farmers and craftsmen.
This final class is not a shameful position in society.
These people will be nearly as important to the city as the rest of the classes, for
if there was no one to grow food or develop material goods, the rest of the city
would surely fall.
 PROBLEM WITH DIVISION OF CLASSES

• Socrates realized that the division of class in this manner may be upsetting to
some. He does not want the citizens to feel as though they are being lumped
into a wrong or unfair category. So, in order to avoid such chaos, Socrates said,
• “Although all of you in the city are brothers, when the god was forming you,
he mixed gold into those of you who are capable of ruling, which is why they
are the most honorable; silver into the auxiliaries; and iron and bronze into the
farmers and other craftsmen” (100, ll. 415a).
• Depending on whichever metal god gave you, that is your true place in society;
it is honorable, and one must do their duty to their fullest potential.
Furthermore, to go against this decision would be to go against god himself.
 WHAT WAS PLATO’S IDEAL SOCIETY

• Plato descried a perfect society as one where everyone lived harmoniously and
without the fear of violence or material possession.
• He believed that political life in Athens was to rowdy and that no one would be
able to live good life with that kind of democracy
 FOUR VIRTUES

• In Plato's Republic, the four cardinal virtues are wisdom, temperance, courage
and justice.
• These reflect the nature of the soul.
• The soul has three parts.
• Our motive thinks, when it does this well, it has wisdom. Our appetite desires,
when it does this well, it has temperance (self-control, soberness).
• Our "high spirit" shows emotions (fear, anger, respect, etc.) when it does this
well, it has courage.
• Justice consists of the proper interplay of the three parts of the soul. In the just
person, reason controls the "high spirit" and both control the appetite.
 PLATO’S DEFINITION OF JUSTICE

• To do one’s own business and not to be a busybody is justice.”

(Republic 433b.)
• Although the modern reader may find it odd, this is the definition of justice
Plato offers.
• When a person does what he is supposed to do, he receives whatever credit and
remuneration he deserves, and if he fails to do his task, he is appropriately
punished.
 PLATO’S DEFINITION OF JUSTICE

• Thus justice is “the having and doing of one’s own and what belongs to
oneself” (Republic 434a).
• Excess and deficiency of any kind are unjust
• In general, unjust people either do not realize the virtues and duties proper to
their situation in life or treat someone worse than he deserves.
• Similarly, an unjust state fails to accomplish the functions of a state.
• According to Plato, these functions of the state include making possible the
conditions under which everyone can feed, clothe and shelter themselves, as
well as seek the Good.
 CONCLUSION

• In conclusion, it seems that Plato, as Socrates, has developed a solid foundation

for the society within his perfect city.
• By telling each citizen they have a specific metal in their soul that determines
their status within society, Plato has strategically developed a way to have
people fully satisfied with their roles in life.
• In the end, the city seems to be working as a single unit; each person profiting
from the other.
• While this approach may not work in the modern world, it is an interesting
route for such a wise philosopher to take and is worth taking the time to
consider and analyze closely.
 REFERENCES

• Plato. (1943). Plato's The Republic. New York :Books, Inc.,

• https://www.iep.utm.edu/platopol/
• https://owlcation.com/humanities/Analyzing-Platos-Perfect-Society-in-Republi
c