Plato's vision
Introduction
Plato was born in an aristocratic family in 427 B.C. He was the greatest student of Socrates. After death of Socrates, he extensively traveled to various places including Egypt and Italy. He founded an academy and taught there. He was counselor as well as friend of King Dionysius of Syracuse. This gave Plato a firsthand knowledge of practical politics.
The death of Socrates had deeply affected Plato’s vision. He disapproved many things in Athenian democracy. He portrayed ‘an ideal state’ in his book ‘Republic’. The state of Plato’s vision would be ideal in every respect. Politics perceived by Plato is still relevant in understanding modern politics, sociology, ethics and theology.
Writings of Plato are in the form of dialogue. Plato uses analogy in his dialogues and his arguments flow from that. His writings have a poetic touch. Plato aimed at promoting justice and virtue. According to him, only a perfect state could ensure high standard of human virtue and produce perfect citizens. He considered ethics as essential element of politics. He subordinated politics to ethics.
Plato’s major work is ‘The Republic’. There were certain law published after death of Plato. The politicus or statesman is also his important work. The Republic of Plato represents the essence of Plato’s thoughts. This visualizes an ideal state in which the shortcomings of the existing states were to be eliminated. According to Plato, best form of human society should reflect the three elements of human nature i.e. reason, spirit and appetite. Plato sought to dwell on the issue of justice, virtue, ideal man, best type of government and similar matters.
What is ideal state
Plato’s vision of ideal state was the state or ‘state as such’ i.e. a type or model for all times and climes. Plato wanted to show what is principle the state ought to be. His notion of ideal state is based on analogy between the individual and the real-state. The human soul consists of the three elements of reason, spirit and appetite operating within some limits. He considered state a magnified individual. This leads to many false analogies. The individual has a conscience unlike state.
Plato asserts that men and women should get same education and take part public function on equal footing. Secondly, Plato favors abolition of the family on the basis of communism of property and wives. Thirdly, he introduces the rule of philosophy. According to him, Knowledge is virtue and hence, the uplift of society is dependent on philosopher rulers.
Plato viewed that head of the state should be a philosopher-ruler who would represent reason and virtue. The education system would ensure a good numbers of philosopher-guardians and enable every individual to find out his true place/ job and excel .
Communism of wives and property
He favored communism of property and family among the upper two i.e. the guardian classes so as to ensure that they were not affected by temptations and ambitions and could concentrate on duty to the state. He categorized entire population in three categories- (1) philosopher-rulers representing Reason, (2) the ordinary guardians or auxiliaries representing the element of spirit and (3) the non-guardians i.e. common people reflecting the element of appetite. Besides, the ideal state of Plato would includes features of rule of philosophy, state-regulated education and communism of property and wives, functional specialization, equality of men and women and censorship of art.
His theory of communism of wives and property has been misunderstood often. Many believe that he favored communization of all citizens. But in fact, he stressed on communism of property and wives only for the rulers, who were philosophers and the auxiliary class which may be alike present day bureaucrats. But this is too idealistic. It is highly improbable that any one would give his talent to state without right to property and even a wife. These days, we consider a minister and a bureaucrat virtuous if he is satisfied with his salary and contracted remuneration and leads a disciplined married life. The ruling class of Plato’s vision would have no family. All children of the ruling class would be common. The pairing of male and female would be as decided by the philosopher ruler. So, even reproduction of children of the ruling class would be solely for state interest. All individuality would be lost. This is highly impracticable and also not so moral. Thus, the ruling class would be breeding like cattle. This looks very bizarre.
Marxist communism differs from Plato's
His idea of communism differs from that of Karl Marx. ‘Communism’ is the ultimate state in Marxian thoughts. From each according to ability and to each according to needs is the maxim of Marxian communism. In this stage, state withers away. On the other hand, state is strong in Plato’s vision. Moreover, Plato’s communism is not only of property. This is also of wives. Plato’s communism is only for rulers and not common citizens.
Justice stressed
Plato attached extraordinary importance to justice. Plato believed that justice was the only remedy of protecting Athens from decay and ruin. He stressed that men and classes must be confined to their own specific duties to the state and their selfishness must be replaced by devotion to the state. This was possible only if justice as conceived by Plato got prime place.
Plato’s theory on justice bases itself on the concept of functional specialization, which means each person is specialized in one work. Such thinking must have been basis of evolution of caste system in India. This is what led to hegemony of Brahmins and Khshritya in India. It appears that Plato's thoughts resembled thinking of ancient Indians. Just as Brahmins and Khshritya dominated in India, the vidon of Plato would results in monopoly of political power to the philosopher-ruler ( a kind of Brahmin class) and is dependant too much on his altruism, which is based on a system of communism of property.
Education
Plato stressed that an ideal citizens should have attributes of physical beauty, clear perception of beauty, understanding of good and bad, hatred for vices, love for fellow countrymen, obsession for excellence etc. System of education must be such as to provide ideal citizens. He believed that state regulated education system was best. This would ensure discipline as well as love for truth. He was perhaps first feminist as he believed in gender based equality. He mentioned women supervisors for his ideal city state. His education system is based on needs of state. There is higher education for guardian class.
Conclusion
The theory of Plato is worth giving a thought. We may incorporate some of his ideas in present day but this has to be with discretion. His idea of communism is bizarre but this definitely underlines need for considering nation before self. The ruling classes need to observe simplicity in life and hate corruption. The ordinary citizens also should respect truth, beauty and work for betterment of all. This is not only keeping in view the thoughts of Plato but also the ideal of satyam, shivam, sunderam.
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