Summary of Platos State

In the process of constructing an imaginary state, Plato has inspired by his own

state he lived in, Greek city-state. He starts his argument with searching the meaning

justice in the state and continues with the sources of the rudimentary state. The answer is in
the needs of individuals: All we are not self-sufficing and we need other peoples help in

order to survive. The primary state he forms includes a few men who meet the basic needs

such as food, shelter and wearing. In the next step, he introduces an important concept:
commonwealth . Each of individuals have innate differences which directs them to different

jobs they can be expert. All the goods they produce is put into the common wealth where they

can share. Then, he draws the territories of the state in a way that imports and exports can be

done. The state also needs some shopkeepers in the marketplace so time would not be wasted

for a farmer to waiting to sell his goods in the market. Another part of the society is hired

laborers who sell their physical power. So, with all these fragments of community, the

imaginary state comes into a bigger size. In the next step, the argument goes on with the

luxurious state.

The way of life of the community which Plato describes, is a very basic one.

People get their basic needs and have a healthy life. However, in the dialog style written text,

a contrary opinion arises: The basic needs are not enough, there must be some comfort. So the

state transforms to a luxurious state with the need of growth. He adds new parts to the society

such as barbers, cooks and confectioners. (Page 61) Also, the territories become insufficient
to meet luxurious states needs. To get more lands, some parts of other states should be
invaded. With this point, he reaches to the concept of war. So the state needs an army to take

up new territories and also to defend against same kind of attacks. Being a warrior is not less
important than being a shoemaker, so these guardians should be set apart from all other

duties. Their natural aptitudes that fit them into this important occupation must be examined
seriously. So Plato starts to define one of the most important parts of the state: Guardians

The Guardians, as the defenders of commonwealth, are firstly compared with well-

bred watch-dogs. (Page 64) Gentleness and a high temper are qualities which must be

absorbed in a perfect guardian. In spite of contradictory between these two specialties, Plato
brings them together saying that Guardians should behave in a philosophical manner. After

inquiring their qualities, he starts to inspect their manner of life. The ideal Guardian should

care about common-wealth more than its own concern. Some tests, including torture can be

applied to him in order to destroy his loyalty and it can be checked whether he is a guardian or

not. (Page 105) In the next step, Plato devises a fiction to which all the system may depend

on. Success and ambition in spite of hereditary is the basis of this system due to the fiction.
Another point is the Guardians private ownership. All their basic needs are provided by the

society, so they have no private property. The reason behind that is if they have any land or

dwelling, with the help of their monopoly over force, they can become tyrants. So with these

rules, it would be easy to create a perfect Guardian who is the first defender of

commonwealth. And finally Plato describes the relation and opposition between riches and

poverty. Guardians should have enough food or support to do their jobs, but not too much.

Poverty would make them weak and richness produces idleness.

With all these notions and arguments, Plato creates an ideal state in which there is

social, economical and political order, defending by Guardians and provided by producers and

tradesmen.