Kallipolis Vs Plato

In reading works by Plato, Aristotle, and other ancient Greeks, one can immediately spot disagreements on the ideal form of government. While Plato touted a utopian Kallipolis and Pericles extolled the Athenian model of democracy, Aristotle championed a form of constitutional polity as the most realistic form of government (because even if the constitutional polity degenerated, a democracy was the least objectionable of Aristotle’s three degenerated forms of government). We have also read satirical representations of democratic governments, from a government run entirely by women to the “cloud-cuckoo” land in the sky.

In readings these accounts and depictions, it quickly becomes apparent that Aristotle’s characterizations and ranking of governmental forms best stands the test of time and reflects a modern view of the “ideal” form of government. While an ideal version of monarchy could very well serve as the best form of government, its inherent unsustainability means

While Plato used the utopian Kallipolis as an ideal city to strive for, it is completely unrealistic to model an actual form of government on an unachievable vision. Striving and failing to achieve a utopian government would most likely result in a perverse mixture of utopian and realistic ideas, the combination of which would produce a discordant and dysfunctional system of government. Such a government would, in all likelihood, prove far worse than either a utopian or realistic form of government would have on its own, as conflicting ideas and policies never make for good governmental framework. Furthermore, many utopian ideals (Plato’s Kallipolis included) are inherently repressive and undemocratic. The Kallipolis depends on subjugating individual needs for the good of the city as a whole, and such a repressive atmosphere could never be considered the best form of government for its