El Estado Ideal en Platón PDF

# EL ESTADO IDEAL EN PLATÓN ## INTRODUCCIÓN The research that is presented below seeks to make a brief synthesis of the thought of Plato, regarding the conception he had of the State and what he intended it to be. He presented a pure and totally ideal State (it falls into exaggerated idealism)...

# EL ESTADO IDEAL EN PLATÓN ## INTRODUCCIÓN The research that is presented below seeks to make a brief synthesis of the thought of Plato, regarding the conception he had of the State and what he intended it to be. He presented a pure and totally ideal State (it falls into exaggerated idealism), something that perhaps in reality can never be achieved, but nevertheless, it contains a degree of truth in its conception. Plato, living in an era where it was important to see and recapture what being a member of a polis, of a city, of a State meant for an Athenian, realizes that man does not know how to live or can live in isolation and away from other men. Plato knows all this because he learned it from his great friend and teacher Socrates. Socrates will leave him a great legacy and influence for his political life, and thus, Plato enters the world of philosophy. ## VIDA Y OBRA DE PLATÓN ### 1.1 Vida de Platón Plato, along with Aristotle, his disciple, and Socrates, his teacher, constitute the trio of the greatest geniuses, as they generate a complete turnaround in thought and philosophy, which endures to this day. He was born in Athens in 428 or 427 BC, or perhaps in Aegina. His real name was Aristocles, but he was immortalized as Plato (in Greek, Platos means width, breadth, extension), a nickname given to him by his gym teacher, Ariston, for his large physique and broad shoulders. He belonged to an aristocratic family. His father, Ariston, claimed to be descended from King Codrus, the last king of Athens. His mother, Perictione, descended from the family of Solon, the ancient Greek legislator. He was also the brother of Charmides and cousin of Critias, two of the thirty tyrants who carried out an oligarchic coup in 404 BC. Plato had two brothers, Glaucon and Adimanto, and a sister Potene. His early inclinations were toward poetry, but his noble origin allowed Plato to enter the cultural and political life of the city quickly. So to speak, he lived in the era of the greatest flourishing of Athenian culture and received a refined education. Given this situation, Plato always showed a great interest in politics and philosophy, as he had everything in his favor: his birth, his intelligence, his skills, all of which led him in this direction. It is quite possible that he also attended the lectures of Cratylus, who was a disciple of Heraclitus, where he learned about the continuous mutability and the impossibility of having true knowledge of the world, ideas that are later reflected in his own thought. The defining moment in Plato's life was undoubtedly his first encounter with Socrates, and such was his admiration and enthusiasm that he abandoned all his projects to dedicate himself fully to philosophy. This encounter happened when Plato was 20 years old. Plato's initial interest in Socrates was simply that of a young man of his time, seeking to better prepare himself for a political life through philosophy. The teacher, who was 63 years old, practiced the strange profession of teaching virtue to his fellow citizens. He wanted to improve the individual to improve the welfare of the city. Plato eagerly accepted this task and, following the example of his cousin Critias and his uncle Charmides, dreamed of dedicating himself to a political career. This made him quickly incline toward political action. Plato realizes that what politics says and what it does are very different, and so, his disillusionment arrives with the conviction and death of his friend and teacher, Socrates, in 399 BC, when he is forced to drink a cup of poison. He was accused of corrupting young people and not believing in the gods of the city. The democrats, who had regained power, were responsible for this unjust sentence. This event led Plato to follow a different path, namely, to shape a utopian city in his writings, where he realizes that legislation and morality are corrupted. He finally concludes that only philosophy can show where justice lies: evil will not end until the race of authentic and chaste philosophers rises to power, or until politicians begin to philosophize seriously. Because only philosophy can create a human community founded on justice. In his seventh letter, you can read the poignant account of his travels to Sicily at the request of his friend Dion in order to educate Dionysius the Younger, the tyrant of Syracuse, in that prototype of a wise ruler that he had shaped in his ideas. However, Plato did not succeed in either of his two journeys. In his first journey, he was sold as a slave, but he is rescued and released by Anniceris, and Plato can return to Athens in 387. This return marked a landmark event for philosophy. Plato establishes his Academy. This is nothing less than the first organized philosophy school. Students come from all corners of Greece and the world to follow Plato´s courses. In his second journey, he is imprisoned, albeit for a short time, and this time, the one who saves him from his tragedy, setting him free and offering him his help, is Archytas. Once he is free, he returns to the Academy after 360 BC. He then leaves Athens and remains there, directing the Academy until his death in 353 BC. ### 1.2 Escuela de Platón In the Academy, Plato intends to educate future governing philosophers. As previously mentioned, Plato established his own philosophy school near Athens after returning from his first trip to Sicily, founded in 387, in the gardens that owed their name to the Greek mythical hero Academos, hence Plato named it after him, the Academy, which constitutes the first higher education institution. Its statutes, library, museum, classrooms, and housing for teachers and students are new and highly effective resources for the pursuit of knowledge. At the Academy, philosophy, mathematics, and gymnastics were taught. The school prospered. Students came from everywhere to follow its courses. Numerous graduates of the Academy travelled throughout the world to spread Plato´s ideas and political views. When Plato dies, the Academy is left in the hands of his nephew, Speusippus, and not Aristotle, who, undoubtedly, deserved it. However, perhaps some of the reasons were that Speusippus was family, or because Aristotle was not a true Athenian. The truth of the matter is that the Academy lost its vigor and adopted new trends. The Academy only admitted students who already had a certain level of knowledge about philosophy and other areas. Otherwise, they were not accepted. The Academy as a teaching institution ends at the end of the 1st century BC, but there is no doubt that Plato´s philosophy will remain alive for all time. ### 1.3 Obra de Platón Few men like Plato, undoubtedly, left such a legacy in the history of philosophy, thanks to his works, so rich and extensive in their content. We know that he wrote most of his works in dialogues, where he places his teacher Socrates as the main interlocutor, perhaps to acknowledge his derivation from his own thought. Finally, we see that Plato is a brilliant writer and an unsurpassed artist of language, as he can be considered one of the greatest writers in the world, and one of the most prolific in history. The following is a list of his main works, consisting of forty-two dialogues, plus a collection of letters, definitions, and epigrams. The dialogues are, in turn, divided into authentic, doubtful, and apocryphal; contemporary historical criticism tends to place some of the doubtful dialogues within the authentic ones. The authentic dialogues are twenty-nine: *Apology, Crito, Euthyphro, Laches, Charmides, Lysis, Hippias Major, Ion, Protagoras, Euthydemus, Gorgias, Menexenes, Meno, Cratylus, Phaedrus, Symposium, Republic, Phaedo, Theaetetus, Parmenides, Sophist, Politicus, Philebus, Timaeus, Critias, Laws, Epinomis*. The doubtful dialogues are six: *Alcibiades II, Hipparchus, Minos, The Rivals, Theaetus, Clitophon*. The apocryphal dialogues are six:*Axiochus, On Justice, On Virtue, Demodocus, Sisyphus, Erixias.* These works undoubtedly reflect Platonic thought, which evolved gradually throughout his life, and which Plato himself corrected and surpassed. As for the letters, definitions, and epigrams, some of them were considered false by antiquity, but it is worth noting that some of the letters are very important in terms of understanding Plato´s life and thought. One of the arguments supporting the authenticity of Plato´s works is that they are quoted by ancient authors, particularly his contemporaries, just like Aristotle. ## EL ESTADO EN PLATÓN ### 2.1. Definición y concepto de Estado *“The State is the organization of a social group settled in a stable manner on a well-defined territory, governed by a legal order of its own, and whose purpose is to realize the common good."* *“The State is a community of people and institutions; insofar as it is a community of people, it is both sovereign and social."* We realize that the State is created in different ways, and it is created by the free action of human beings, either to seek their own interests or those of all their fellow human beings. However, we must also distinguish between the necessity inherent in human nature that leads to the formation of the State, and in this regard we are told that our relationship with others is a property of "the rational animal," who, as a consequence of its nature, communicates its thoughts to others and creates bonds. The nature of man is to be both an animal and a political being, who lives in society more than all the other animals, as his natural needs demand. Plato´s view of the State is that it exists to serve the needs of men. Plato’s view of the State is that it exists to serve the needs of men. This concept of Plato regarding the State tells us that man cannot be independent of his fellow men. He needs the help and cooperation of others to create everything that is needed in life and thus to meet all his different needs. This leads to the result that man gathers, joins, and associates in one place, "and he gives the name city to this common dwelling."* It is clear that in Greek life, since the time of Plato, life is definitive and essentially a community. It develops within the bosom of the City-State, which cannot, nor should it, exist outside the City. Genuine Greeks, as far as they can imagine, could not conceive of a man being completely separate from the State, because throughout human history, it is clear that society alone makes it possible for man to live right, and society has meaning for the Greek: City-State. The only place where man can survive and fulfill himself as a person, in all his aspects, is within the State. Only within it can he develop; this is because man is not self-sufficient, but needs others. Therefore, human beings need one another. Firstly, we are in need of food, shelter, and clothing. ### 2.2. Ética and virtudes en el Estado When Plato refers to ethics and the State, he presents how the idea is manifested in human behavior and in society. Therefore, ethics are what analyze what is good in human life and in society. Plato has the conception that the perfect soul is divided into parts, and each of these parts has a defined structure, and there has to be a defined relationship between them. This conception leads Plato to enunciate four cardinal virtues as means for achieving this harmony and resembling God as much as possible. Because everything honorable must come from one of these four virtues. And these virtues are the ones that lead us to seek authentic knowledge of truth and the preservation of human society, in giving each person what is rightfully theirs (equal to justice). These virtues are united and intertwined, as one cannot have one without the other, and each produces certain kinds of obligations; prudence consists in the knowledge of things; justice sees to the preservation of society; fortitude to greatness of spirit in action; and temperance, to order, to moderation in everything that is related to life. By starting from these virtues, we realize that the objective and foundation of a community is justice, from Plato’s perspective. He says that no human community can subsist without justice, and without justice, there is no state. Because justice alone generates harmony and friendship among human beings, and this justice does not recognize the privileges of a few, but rather fosters human coexistence. A good man is nothing less than a good citizen. Therefore, the State should be well-structured in such a way that it can fulfill its goals; for this, the State must seek the greatest good for its citizens, not a material good, but rather a spiritual good. This is why the State must maintain a hierarchical order, which is necessary in the individual soul, and this reflects society, which is divided into three classes or parts, each having a nature, function, standard, or virtue. ### 2.3. Clases sociales One of the aspects that Plato considers important in his political philosophy are ethical-political issues. Plato wanted to discover a perfect social system that would serve as a model for rulers, or to use another name, is what we call “the ideal state.” Moreover, Plato had no doubt that happiness can only be achieved in society. Plato believes that the State should be governed by philosophers, if it is to find that perfect organization; and to explain this, he takes as a starting point the composition of human beings, since society is like a man on a larger scale. Plato’s view is that the human body is divided into three parts: head, chest, and abdomen. Each of these parts is associated with a specific ability of the soul. Reason belongs to the head, will to the chest, and desire to the abdomen, but each of these parts has to have a virtue or ideal. For example, reason must aspire to wisdom, will, for its part, must show valor, and desire must be restrained so that human beings can show moderation at all times in their life. The ideal situation is for these three parts in human beings to work well together, making him harmonious and virtuous. Therefore, the State must be structured according to the model of the individual. Just as the soul has three parts, the state must be structured in the same way. Since there are three parts of the soul in man: the rational, the irascible, and the concupiscible, the State, too, must have philosophers, warriors, and merchants. ### 2.3.1. Filósofos o gobernantes The class of those few who have achieved the highest spiritual education should only be in the rational part of the State, meaning the “philosophers” who are in charge of governing, directing the State, and the virtue they have to develop is practical wisdom or prudence (soul of gold). Hence the famous saying of Plato: *“No good government will exist unless kings are philosophers, or philosophers are kings.” * Only in this way can harmony reign in the state, in both the public and private spheres. Here are some of the qualities that philosopher-rulers must possess: - They must be lovers of truth, meaning they must love truth and not give any right to falsehood. This must start from their youth. - They must seek the pleasures of the soul. - They must be temperate and not crave wealth. - They must not fear death. A coward and debauched nature will have no place in philosophy. - They must be intelligent. - They must have a good memory. - They must have a sense of proportion and harmony. ### 2.3.2. Guerreros The second class corresponds to the noble effects of the soul, those of the warriors. These warriors must be on the side of the philosophers, and their job is to be ready to protect the State and the social order against enemies or possible invaders, and also to quell internal conflicts. Their virtue is fortitude; this helps them both to the class of philosophers and to the class of warriors to eliminate all kinds of abuses inseparable from power and wealth. Bearing this in mind, warriors must not abuse their privileged situation by using force for their own gain (silver soul). ### 2.3.3. Comerciantes y artesanos Finally, the sensual part of the soul corresponds to the common people. Those who belong to this class include merchants, artisans, farmers, laborers, etc. Their job is to meet the material needs of the State (soul of iron and bronze). They must also procure and distribute material goods. They are the ones who can enjoy private property, and their rights over their children and family. Their virtue is temperance or the control of private interests. ### 2.3.4. Mujeres Strictly speaking, women do not belong to any social class; however, it is good to consider what role or activity they play within the State. In the ideal State proposed by Plato, women must also be educated like men. They must attend music, gymnastics, and military training. The only difference between man and woman is the different way in which each species is propagated. Both sexes share the same natural gifts; therefore, a woman can be accepted into all the careers that are open to men. In other words, each class is linked to a specific virtue. Philosophers are in charge of wisdom, warriors of courage, merchants of moderation; however, what makes harmony between them is justice. Plato considers justice as a universal virtue whose derivation includes that of the rest, and this is what constitutes the perfect State. Belonging to one social class rather than another is not based on wealth or other similar reasons, but on nature. The goal is to place each person in his or her place according to his or her natural disposition, as well as to prevent classes from mingling. ### 2.4. El fin y educación del Estado One might think that the original purpose of a State is its economic purpose, which leads to the division and specialization of labor. In this case, men must work according to their talents, skills, aptitude, expertise, and natural abilities, since these vary greatly from person to person. In this way, each person must serve society in different ways because each person will perform better in the work that suits his natural abilities, so his work will be better in terms of both quality and quantity. Each individual should specialize and train. The State would then need farmers, cobblers, weavers, carpenters, blacksmiths, merchants, vendors, workers, etc. to maintain economic factors. However, Plato realizes that he needs to pay close attention to social organization, and to carefully monitor the conduct of individuals, even in their smallest details. That is why his attention shifts to the issue of education. It is evident that the State is not just about meeting the economic needs of man, but also about ensuring that man can live a righteous life, in accordance with the principles of justice. This is where we see the great need for education, because man is rational and part of a State. There can be no better and more supreme education than the one that seeks truth and goodness. Those who guide life in the State, and who define the principles of education, assign tasks, duties, and work within the State to its different members, must know what is truly good and true. Only true philosophers can do that. Plato presents the curricula of study and disciplinary exercises that boys and girls must undergo. In the endless series of “eliminations,” they must select the personnel for the different social classes. The State could take this step in cases where children have been exclusively theirs since birth. As for the children of the State, Plato is too harsh. Because if you want to have a healthy state, you must choose only perfect people so that the race can improve. Plato suggests that children with illnesses or deformities be sentenced to death because they should not live if a healthy person struggles with all their faculties. What can be expected from someone who lacks one of their faculties? The education of warriors must be founded primarily on gymnastics, which helps their body to grow, and music, which aids in the forging and harmony of the soul. Both women and men participate in this process, since they later share civic and martial duties. This is a mandatory education, which they must have in common until they are at least twenty years old. However, mathematics and dialectics must be part of the education of future rulers, and only for them. This education must last from the age of twenty to thirty-five, so that many years later, in practical life, they can be fully developed in every profession. Then, they can ensure that the State is headed by an intellectual aristocracy. ## FORMAS DE GOBIERNO DEL ESTADO ### 3.1. La sucesión de los regímenes Plato argues that the historical development of States progresses through degeneration. Plato’s criterion for favoring one political system over another is the intellectual capacity and philosophical preparation required by each form of government. In each of these forms of government, there are men who represent a type of ruling class, and thus a form of government. Each is described by pointing out its dominant passion. ### 3.2. La monarquía o aristocracia This is the perfect form of government, because in a city thus formed, the rulers, leaders, will govern for the pleasure of developing their rational soul and seek nothing else but the good of their people. This is the government of wisdom, both in the State and as an individual. Monarchy or aristocracy is Plato’s preferred form of government. This is because it is ruled by wise and prudent men, who are philosophers. These philosophers must not worry about being inspired, guided, or restricted by laws because they embrace the contemplation of goodness, and this will lead them to establish appropriate laws for the State. Plato compares them to good doctors who care about health. This perfect form of government is affected and degraded when, due to the neglect of rulers, classes intermingle. We have already seen that a state is destroyed when a guardian watches over it or is at its command. Once the classes intermingle, order and social harmony begin to break down, and forms of government appear that are a far cry from the ideal. ### 3.3. La Timocracia Timocracy is the rule of strong, ambitious, skilled, practiced men, but they are theoretically, not very thoughtful, practically weaker, inclined to action than reflection, and more concerned with their own interests than those of the community. Timocracy is characterized by the irascible part of the soul prevailing (being nourished by the class of workers), and since the ambition of the working class must be held in check by the military, warriors take advantage of this to divide up the spoils of their victory and oppress those who were initially their duty to protect. In this system, affection for wealth collides with the remnants of sound philosophy, where good and evil are intermingled. ### 3.3.1. El hombre timocrático The main motivation of the timocratic man is the pursuit of honor and ambition. This type of man is harsh toward slaves, and he is not concerned about their well-being. He is lenient toward free men, and submissive to authority. He is eager to rule, he loves honors, he wants to rule, not by virtue of his own word, or by any other virtue of his gender, but by his own warrior skills, by his military talent, and he has a passion for gymnastics, he wants to be in charge. These men come to power, although not necessarily through a coup d'état, but it doesn’t really matter because they are no longer the same. ### 3.4. La Oligarquía It is an even less vile form of government, although the search for wealth prevails. The timocracy degenerates into oligarchy, which is the government based on the census where the rich rule, but the poor have no part in government. Those ruling are a few wealthy people who oppress the poorest. The concupiscible soul and greed dominate them, driven by a desire for money. From a young age, they become luxurious people, who loathe the work of the body and of the soul and are weak when it comes to resisting pleasure and pain. Therefore, wealth becomes the only qualification for power. Disorder spreads to all classes, and the oligarchs become divided among themselves. ### 3.4.1. El hombre oligárquico This type of man devotes himself to acquiring wealth, and the more he enjoys it, the more he deteriorates in virtue. The common people are driven by the desire for dominance and honors, and they turn into greedy and envious people. All praise, their admiration, respect, and all their grandeur are for the rich, only for them are positions; it is enough to be poor to be despised by them. Wealth is the dominant force in this kingdom, and the State and individuals are defined by the excesses of a person obsessed by selfish greed. ### 3.5 La Democracia All is in chaos. When pressure from unrest is overwhelming, it is installed: Democracy, where the aim is to get rid of the rich; it is the government of the masses, of the people, which, according to Plato, does not have a clear soul vision. On the surface, it seems to be an ideal State, where everyone is equal, but in reality, it gives a platform to vices, as if they were virtues, because licentiousness is considered freedom and arrogance is considered greatness. But democracy is a deplorable regime because the ambition for freedom leads to eliminating power, to dangerous specialists (wise men), to authorizing all types of existence (that is why democracy is a fairground of constitutions, a marketplace of regimes) and to disdaining both written and unwritten law. Its motto is freedom and equality for all individuals and passions, and its result is the complete loss of stability and any sense of values. *“Plato further takes this opportunity to launch a fierce and desperate satire against Athenian democracy, which he so hated.”* ### 3.5.1. El hombre democrático The democratic man only seeks the ambitious good of becoming rich, to the greatest extent possible. This leads to the consequences of wealth not being distributed fairly, as they do not reach everyone because everyone is free in this State, each human being is the owner of doing what pleases him. This only occurs when this type of government exists; it is clear that every citizen is in charge of himself, as well as freely choosing his preferred way of life. ### 3.6. La Tiranía Tyranny is the irresponsible government of an ignorant and passionate despot, who is the lowest point to which a government can descend; it is the ultimate degeneration of forms of government. Tyranny is dominated by cruelty and brutality. It is the consequence of democracy because in a State of libertinism, people need a leader to settle their affairs, and he is raised to be omnipotent. *"From extreme freedom comes the greatest and most ruthless slavery"*(Rep.564). The tyrant, since nothing prevents him from his goal, becomes a slave to madness, and his kingdom is moving toward disaster. Tyranny begins when the one who has the strength and the confidence of the people directs everything towards his own interest and becomes hateful to the citizens, thus sinking deeper and deeper into tyranny. ### 3.6.1 El hombre tiránico This man is cowardly, tormented, lives in fear and pain, and for that reason, he wants to stay in power. When the Chief of State realizes that the crowd is ready to obey, there is no stopping him from shedding blood. He sends some into exile, others to death. He demands more money and redistributes land as he sees fit. In the tyrant, we find the unjust man embodied, who opposes the just man, the philosopher. Only when a true and authentic wise man comes to power will there be a State that is well ruled, directed, and in which laws are not necessary. Because a wise man will always make the right decisions since he knows the concept of justice. ## CONCLUSIÓN Plato’s contributions to philosophy are undoubtedly of great importance for many reasons. He is considered one of the three greatest ancient thinkers. His thought influenced many contemporary thinkers, who continued his legacy to this day. Plato’s goal since the beginning was to shape, reform, transform the State, based on the injustices he had seen in his own time. However, Plato’s most important contribution was the conviction and death of Socrates, his friend and teacher. This was a great influence on Plato’s later reflections. Plato’s ideal state seeks, above all, that the people who guide, rule, and govern are truly ready people who know how to reflect and act morally. This will allow them to make wise decisions, not only for themselves, but for their citizens, for their city, and thus, for their State. Only those people can and are capable of guiding their nation towards the right direction. Only these people can help cure their evils. A State governed by talentless, unsuited, and unqualified people is poorly and unjustly governed; this leads to an unequal society, and hence, to injustice among all its citizens. Plato believed that women play a crucial role in the State. He considered women to be equal men; therefore, they, too, should be educated. Plato does take it too far in denying opportunities to those who have physical disabilities. He also does not allow the formation of families, marriage, or sentiment. He rejects the idea of private property, claiming that this leads to envy and selfishness. Perhaps Plato errs in wanting to eliminate the family. It should be remembered that the family is the foundation of society and that without it, society would not exist. Plato’s state is a mere imaginary and fabulous one. In reality, it will never exist or, at least, to this day, no one has been able to shape a State so well-organized, where real justice prevails, and brings about common good for all citizens. # INDICE - Introducción - 2 - Capítulo I: VIDA Y OBRA DE PLATÓN - 1.1: Biografía de Platón - 4 - 1.2: Escuela de Platón - 7 - 1.3: Obra de Platón - 8 - Capítulo II: EL ESTADO DE PLATÓN - 2.1: Definición y concepto de Estado - 10 - 2.2: Ética y virtudes en el Estado - 12 - 2.3: Clases sociales - 2.3.1: Filósofos o gobernantes - 14 - 2.3.2: Guerreros – 15 - 2.3.3: Comerciantes y artesanos - 17 - 2.3.4: Mujeres - 17 - 2.4: El fin y educación del Estado - 18 - Capítulo III: FORMAS DE GOBIERNO DEL ESTADO - 3.1: La sucesión de los regímenes - 21 - 3.2: La monarquía o aristocracia - 21 - 3.3: La timocracia - 3.3.1: El hombre timocrático - 23 - 3.4: La oligarquía - 3.4.1: El hombre oligárquico - 24 - 3.5: La democracia - 3.4.1: El hombre democrático - 25 - 3.6: La tiranía - 3.6.1: El hombre tiránico - 26 - Conclusión - 28 - Índice - 30 - Fuentes consultadas - 32