The Theory of Plato’s Ideas
Does Plato Believe There can ever be a Just Society In answering this question I first need to describe what a just society would consist of. A perfect state can only be lead under perfect conditions. Civil Society would be a better name for this state. A just state would be made up of three parts. First, a state is a structure with parts that work together like an organism. If the parts do not work well together then the whole thing breaks down. It must have virtues, voices, it can be wise and brave. The state must have everyone performing there jobs to their best ability.
For a state to be just the people within the state must also be just. A man is just when he has a well ordered soul because then you will do the right thing by performing good and just actions. A soul must be allowed to perform its proper function. In a state you cannot define justice by a man because a man can decay into ugliness. Instead you must define justice based on forms. Plato says that the forms are eternal and ever lasting. What constitutes an unjust society is a lack of knowledge. So ignored to create a just society we must educate people.
The society must be well rounded in their education for if they are not they will have problems in society. A society must be fit, participation in athletics, they need to be sensitive to prose poetry, and have knowledge of mathematics and science. Education can not be on specialties, but everything mind, spirit, and body. Having a well rounded education will help people to communicate in all areas. The more you know in many different areas the better over all communication a society has. One of the reason there are inequalities in a society is due to lack of knowledge.
Everyone in the society must to some extent be a philosopher because they seek education and knowledge. A just society must also have a just ruler. A just ruler would need to be a philosopher, he would have to offer honest leadership which reflects the will and knowledge of society. A perfect society must have temperance, knowledge, and wisdom. In justices occur because of a lack of knowledge resulting in greed. In order to get rid of injustice everyone in the society must be educated starting at birth. Women and men need to be equally educated in a well rounded fashion in order to promote a just society.
In asking if this society could ever work the answer is no. The only way it could work is if all of society is willing to accept knowledge and work hard for education. Even though there is no such thing as a truly unjust society a totally just society will never happen until people are willing to work for it. Another reason there can never be a perfectly just society is because everyone”s perception of just is different. We know that the idea of justice is there, but to explain it to where everyone agrees to the idea would be hard to achieve. However, in trying to find true justice the society becomes stronger and more just.
Expressing individuality that benefits or hurts a society however, reflects assertiveness, incentive, thought, and creativity, which strengthens the society. If a society ever got to the point of being just, the society would no longer have greed, drive for a better life, it would not have poverty or wealth. The society would just stop. There would be no more invention, growth, or change. The only change from Plato”s time to ours is technology. We are still searching for the perfect government, the question of who is better than who is still asked, and education is still a major principle to whether or not you are successful.
