"Society originates because the individual is not self sufficient and no two of us are born exactly alike". How does Plato get from that claim to the view that philosophers should rule? Are you convinced by his claims that philosophers should rule?

Authors Avatar
"Society originates because the individual is not self sufficient and no two of us are born exactly alike". How does Plato get from that claim to the view that philosophers should rule? Are you convinced by his claims that philosophers should rule?

It is in Plato's Republic that we first get a discussion of an ideal state and the components needed for it to function properly. Plato's model, known as Kallipolis, is introduced by Socrates during his dialogues with his friends and it is throughout Books I-VIII that this state is built up through three distinct stages to the point where Plato concludes that only philosopher kings should rule. Socrates first starts with what Plato labels the "first principals of social organization"1, namely the basics which are needed for an "economically self sufficient city"2; in the second stage he goes on to develop this idea. He adds more luxury to the state necessitating the presence of armed forces which in turn become the governing class. From this class the philosopher kings come into being, selected by the process of the education system that Plato has set up and with a pure knowledge above everyone else that makes them best qualified to rule.

The first stage is very primitive at best and simply contains the key elements needed to fulfil the "underlying principles of any society"3. The two principles Socrates found were first, mutual need, as "The individual is not self sufficient but has many needs which he can't supply himself"4. Therefore humans need to live together in societies in order to survive. Plato lists the basic needs of the basic community as being provision of food, shelter, and clothing requiring tradesmen to provide services such as farming, weaving and building as well as others providing support by making the necessary equipment for them. So from this, a small state is begun on a purely economic basis. Adequate provision for people's own needs is what for the time being ties this community together rather than friendship. The second principal is "different natural aptitudes which fit us for different jobs"5, and therefore it is "better to exercise one skill"6 and "specialise on a single job for which he (an individual) is naturally fitted and neglects all others"7. Therefore people should attend to their specific trades and be prepared to share the produce with all so that the community can survive. The need for imports is raised thereby bringing Socrates to construct another trade which would go abroad to trade and would need a surplus from the community in order to get other goods. This would require the use of "experts on ships and seafaring"8, a "market"9 to buy and sell the imports and other goods and a "currency as the medium of exchange"10. The marketplace would also require a "class of retailers"11 whose sole job is to run the market thereby allowing others to get on with their own tasks. The final touch Socrates puts to the state is to add a class of "wage-earners"12 whose strength means they can contribute most through manual labour. They "market their strength in return for wages"13. And thus Socrates concludes that "our complement of citizens seems to be complete"14.
Join now!


This city moves on to its second stage in Book 2, Section 2 of the Republic where Glaucon, Socrates friend protests at the "uncivilised nature of the life of this primitive society"15 calling it a "community of pigs"16. R. Martin backs this up claiming that it is "one dimensional for all its energies are focused on physical well being"17. So Socrates proceeds to add elements of refinement changing his "healthy"18 Kallipolis into a more luxurious "gold and ivory"19 community. Socrates therefore embarks on is the enlargement of the state to include occupations which are not concerned with necessities. ...

This is a preview of the whole essay