Plato's Polis

In the Republic, the political organization of the ideal state is Plato’s main topic of concern. To have the best political organization, Plato’s Republic introduces the polis, education, and political regimes to develop an ideal city with the perfect governing system. Plato also recognized that justice and virtue are essential to the creation of the ideal city as justice and virtue are the building blocks of the political organization and social institutions that would allow people to succeed in their roles and become good citizens. Moreover, Plato warns the citizens of the ideal city from social decline as defects within the ideal city could lead to its collapse. Alongside social decline, Plato presents the four regimes in a city as well

The polis was Plato’s model for political, cultural, social and religious harmony between citizens in a city-state. The Greeks took advantage of such balance to develop social interaction and the creation of a strong community within the city. More importantly, the polis was independent and self-sufficient; therefore, it could have its laws and policies (Pappas, 2003, p. 7). Also, the small size of the Polis enabled it to create citizen loyalty. Unlike bigger cities, citizens in the polis would work to benefit the polis and maintain the strength of its political structure (Pappas, 2003, p. 7). Thus, the Polis was an ideal city-state in which Plato can present his philosophical and political

The lack of knowledge in this form of political structure led to the individual pursuit of personal interest in Athens rather than the fair application of justice (Santas, 2010, p. 159). In this case, Plato focused on the concepts of equality and freedom as the misuse of both concepts can be a source of decline in creating the ideal city (Santas, 2010, p. 159). According to the Republic, not only can equality and freedom be used for the individual gain when person has the right to be in a position of power, but also to use the freedom speech and the freedom to do as one pleases in his life (Santas, 2010, p. 175). The absence of what Plato refers to as the virtue of social wisdom which “entitles some of the citizens to rule over the others” becomes hard to find when personal passions override the public good and the fact that rational rule becomes impossible when individuals want to please their appetitive soul (Santas, 2010, p. 165). Also, according to what Socrates said in book IV of the Republic: “every individual ought to have someone occupation in the city, which should be that to which his natural capacity was best adapted,” no one should be allowed to have a job that they are not suited for by nature and education. (Republic,