PLATO'S THEORY OF IDEAL STATE

PLATO'S THEORY OF IDEAL STATE

Plato's ideal state is nothing but the "individual writ large" i.e. State is just a magnification of human nature. According to Plato State is like a human, as human beings consist of three elements i.e. Rason, Spirit, and Appetite. Just Like an individual State also consists of three elements i.e. philosophers, soldiers, and workers.
In Plato's ideal State Individuals with dominating reason are philosophers, one with dominating spirit are soldiers, and one with dominating appetite are workers. According to Plato State came into existence due to the needs of human beings. According to him, human beings basically has three needs:-

1. Everyone is willing to fulfill his economic needs in order to satisfy his food and other needs.
2. Everyone is not able to protect themselves. Thus people need state for their security.
3. Thirdly everyone needs government or authority to look after the smooth functioning of society. And Plato's Ideal State fulfills all the needs of People, workers will look after economic needs, soldiers will protect and philosopher-king will rule.

Thus, according to Plato, State came into existence for sake of life and continued for good life. Hence the ultimate objective of Plato's ideal State is good life or goodness.

Salient features of Platonic Ideal State.

1. Rule of Philosopher King: Plato's Ideal State is ruled by a king who is a philosopher i.e. an individual with dominating wisdom. According to Plato State cannot become an Ideal institution, until philosophers become the king or kings turn into philosophers.
2. Scheme of Education: Plato's Ideal State also has a systematic and progressive scheme of education in order to segregate philosophers, soldiers, and workers. Apart from this education is also imparted to ensure physical toughness along with and spiritual softness.
3. Justice:- Plato's Ideal State is based on the principle of Justice, it is the foundation of the ideal State, without justice ideal state can't survive. For Plato Justice means virtue, In simple words, we can say that Justice according to Plato is functioning according to one's naturally dominating trait.
4. Equality of men and women: In Platonic Ideal State, there is equality of men and women. Both men and women are qua. They have equal status in society.
5. Functional Specialization: Plato's Ideal State is based on the functional specialization that is "one man, one job", workers have to produce, soldiers were supposed to protect and Philosophers were supposed to rule.
6. Communism of wives and property: In a platonic state, only the working class can have family and private property. For the guardian class i.e. of soldiers and philosophers, there is only the communism of wives and property. The children should be brought up by the state.
7. Control of art and literature: In Plato's Ideal state, there is control of art and literature. Cheap and wrong ideas should not reach the people. People should read only literature that is of high moral value and wisdom. 
8. "In Plato's perfect state, the industrial forces would produce but not rule, the military forces will protect but not rule, the forces of knowledge and science and philosophy would be nourished and protected and they would rule":-Will Durant, The story of Philosophy.

Criticism

1. A platonic state is a totalitarian state: The Platonic state is ruled by the Philosopher King. Therefore, it is a one-man show. It is not a democratic situation. It leads to absolutism and totalitarianism. 
2. Plato's Ideal state is based on functional specialization i.e. one man, one job, it will make life monotonous and also affect overall development of personality. 
3. Utopian State: Plato's ideal State is an utopian state because it is very difficult to find philosopher and king at the same time. 
4. Communism of Property and Wives is unnatural for individuals.

Conclusion

Despite the flaws and drawbacks of an ideal state. Plato's radical and fascinating, thus he is rightly regarded as the father of Political Philosophy. He is also admired by many Political thinkers because of his revolutionary idea a the time, like according to Emerson: Plato was philosophy and philosophy, Plato. his ideas were Whitehead: "The entire Western Political thought is nothing but the footnotes to Plato and Aristotle." Karl Popper: "One can be either Platonic or Anti-Platonic but one can never be non-Platonic.

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