of important matters (Plato uses the example of women and children to illustrate his point). However, this lack of order does not encourage the development of well-balanced characters, as Plato demonstrates.Platonic psychology supports the view that any mind should be made up of three hierarchical levels: the desires and emotions being the lowest tier; the character, as decided by upbringing occupies the intermediate tier; and reason is at the top of the hierarchy. Plato further divides the desires into two categories: the necessary, acquisitive desires (i.e., those that benefit us and are essential to life) and the unnecessary, wasteful desires (i.e., those that harm us physically or mentally and can be controlled). With the Oligarchic psyche, the character governs the emotions but without any reason behind it, i.e., the Oligarchic character balances his desires in order to gain the greatest wealth, but he does not really know why he does this. He is driven by motives hidden to him. Plato bases his description of the transition from the Oligarchic mindset to the Democratic mindset upon this psychological theory. The Oligarch is brought up in [a] narrow economical way and at some point he comes into contact with the drone element and their honey of various and refined pleasures. Since he has no rational reason for the suppression of these desires, they grow in strength: eventually they overwhelm his character and capture the seat of government. He ceases to prioritise his desires, and gives them the equality of Democracy: for the rest of his life he spends as much money, time and trouble on the unnecessary desires as on the necessary. His time is spent satisfying his immediate emotions, the desires of the moment. He reckons his way of life to be free and pleasant and his individual versatility matches that of the colourful Democratic state.Plato's main criticism of the Democracy is that the state gives all men equality, whether they are...
