her into society for the mutual achievement of our common goals. If each ofus specializes in the practice of a specific art, we can work more efficiently. To make thisideal city healthy (opposite of a feverish city), Socrates states that the fundamental needsof human beings in the society are food, shelter, and clothes. From these fundamentalneeds, some additional requirements emerge that become necessary only because theseneeds are a part of the defense of the city against external attacks or internal disputes.Socrates proposed an additional class of citizens, the guardians which are responsible forguarding the city and keeping the city in order. In order to fulfill their proper functions,the guardian then must have a philosophy that gives them the ability to distinguish the trueand false, friend and foes, and to avoid turning against their own kind due to externalinfluences. I think Socrates social-political theory does follow his theory of humannature, he believed that an ideal state, embodying the highest and best capabilities ofhuman social life, could really be achieved, if the right people are put in charge. Since thekey to the success of the whole is the wisdom of the rulers who make decisions for theentire city, Plato held that the perfect society would occur only when kings becomephilosophers or philosophers are made kings. Guardians would need the virtue of courageto carry out their orders in the face of danger without regard for personal risk. The rest ofthe people in the city must follow its leaders instead of pursuing their private interests.Plato held that guardians should own no private property, should live and eat together atgovernment expense, and should earn no salary greater than necessary to supply their mostbasic needs. Under this regime, no one will have any corrupt motive for seeking a positionof leadership, and those who are chosen to be guardians will govern solely from a concernto seek the welfare of the s...
