Examples Of Analogy Of The City By Plato

Socrates introduces the city-state with the soul analogy in the first few books of this book. Socrates says that, in looking for what justice is, we must look at the larger picture when looking for something so difficult, and then move on to the smaller perspective. He then goes on to say that there is justice within one’s soul and within a city. And because the city is larger, it may be easier to find justice within the city first. “Perhaps, then, there is more justice in the larger thing, and it will be easier to learn what it is. So, if you’re willing, let’s first find out what sort of thing justice is in a city and afterwards look for it in the individual, observing the ways in which the smaller is similar to the larger (369a).” I believe
In doing so, Socrates explains of the two cities and shows that the true city-state has the people being healthy and long lived, while the city with a fever causes wars amongst people.The education of the guardians seem to be an important point Plato makes, but Plato only indicates the guardians education. What about the other citizens of the city? Although Plato’s analogy of the city-state is widely known and praised, his ideal city is definitely not an ideal city for humans to live in. Plato’s city-state is said to have the rulers’ families held in common, meaning that they are to share their wives and kids with others. This method that Plato suggests goes against the ideal human nature. The human nature for people to naturally want to have families of their own and to have that private attachment, due to the nature of people not liking to be stared at and enjoy having their own personal and private space. Also, the fact that the citizens are not allowed to have any input or preference of what their lives will be like, it seems like the people of the city don’t have any personal freedom or any of their own developed