Would You Live Here?

 

Building dream civilizations according to one's own image is not an uncommon idea to society. While one may think that this is a new idea, perhaps developed as a blockbuster movie concept to bring in revenue, it actually has its origins all the way back in 380 B.C. On his journey to define justice in The Republic, Plato endeavors to build an ideal city through Socrates in which he attempts to justify three modifications. However, Socrates' presented ideas on education, job specialization, and wealth are so heavily flawed that if they were to come true, they would create a dystopian society like those seen in 21st century literature. 

Socrates' objective for education is to create a rigid system that will produce loyal citizens, dedicated to their occupation. His plan to go about this is by taking out the literature that shows imitation of life or ideas of rebellion. Socrates says, “That is why we must put a stop to such stories: if we do not, they will produce in our young people a very casual attitude to evil” (392a). Socrates’ objective in controlling what children read from the literature presented in education is to censor the wickedness that is written about, in hopes that ideas of evil will be kept from their brains. Socrates’ belief is that if children read about the wrongful things done by the gods and humans in stories and poems, then it will lead them themselves to believe that those actions are excusable.

Socrates’ continues his argument for an ideal city by connecting education to job specialization with his statement “… it looks as though the start of someone’s education determines what follows. Or doesn’t like always encourage like? (425c) Socrates' next idea is that humans should only master one trade in order to fully benefit the city, and through their censored education is how this would be accomplished. He explains his idea of job specialization by saying, “…every other citizen, too, must be assigned to what naturally suits him, with one person assigned to one job so that, practicing his own pursuit, each of them will become not many but one, and the entire city thereby naturally grow to be one, not many” (423d).  Socrates’ idea of skill mastering would lead to splitting the people into two groups, and ultimately creating three classes. The first group would be the workmen, which consist of the people who are skilled in specific craft or trade. The second group consists of the guardians who are further split between the rulers and the warriors. Socrates’ idea reminds me of William Shakespeare’s quote “Jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one”. Theoretically, Socrates’ initial ideas of building this city seem like a good idea, however, the more the idea is mulled over by a reader the more flaws are seen. For example, kids would be forced to choose one trade, but what if they do not like it? Would they be forced to stick with it because that said trade naturally seemingly suits them?

The final argument, money, for this new city is brought up in Adeimantus’ claims that without it, there would be no way to take a trip, keep a mistress, or any of the other material goods that make people happy involving money. However, Socrates responds by saying “These people were happiest just as they were…however, in establishing our city, we are not looking to make any one group in it outstandingly happy, but to make the whole city so as far as possible” (420b). This introduces Socrates’ argument that having wealth in this new city would lead to greed, arguments, and the leaders would not be leading for the best of the people, but only to obtain more money. Socrates also claims, “Wealth and poverty. For the former makes for luxury, idleness, and revolution; and the latter for illiberality, bad work, and revolution as well” (422a). Socrates believes that money not only affects the rulers, but the workmen. For if the workmen gain in riches, they will become fat and lazy, but if they are poor, they would not be able to afford the tools for their craft.  

Upon reading Socrates idea for a “better” or “just” city, one can see where his claims have reason and could theoretically work. However, in the end all three arguments have one fault in common: humans are human, and someone will eventually deviate from the norm, like in all dystopian literature. In each category that is presented, there are seeming inconsistencies that show no matter the intention behind changing education, jobs, or wealth to create presumable utopias they will become dystopias.