e practice implies a kind of trust between ruler and subjects. Where Plato would establish only one specific class to be the armed protectors of the State, Machiavelli would create a fighting force where anyone who seems qualified to handle a weapon could do so (p. 457). Yet even more telling of the difference between these two philosophers is the fact that Machiavelli believes that anyone can rise to power. He states that a “citizen-ruler” can rise into prominence if either of two conditions are met. One condition is that the ruler has the backing of the populace, and this backing would most likely be due to the fact that the ruler is “one of them”. The other condition is that the ruler is elevated to such status by “the favor of the elite” (p. 438). However, the ruler placed in power by the elite faces a difficult task of holding that position. The elite who put a ruler in power often think of themselves as his or her equals, and will consequently not obey someone they see as being from the same mold. In addition, Machiavelli states that the goals of the elite, when compared to the populace, are more immoral because they wish to oppress. The populace does not wish to oppress, but rather seeks to avoid oppression. Thus a ruler who attempts to meet the goals of the elite will essentially have an unfavorable reputation, and find himself or herself surrounded by a populace that will not obey (p. 438). In both Plato and Machiavelli, one can see a basic groundwork being established for an ideal government. Plato’s form of government relies on classism, on keeping people in their places and doing the jobs that are best suited to them. According to this philosophy, the people will be happy simply because they are doing what they do best. The common people are performing the hard labor and indulging in bodily pleasures, both of which are all they can hope to understand. The soldiers fig...
