The Perfect Community In Plato's Republic

For hundreds of years, human civilizations have tried creating their own perfect version of a community. However, over this period of time none of them have truly captured the true vision that most people hope for. There are many reasons why that is, but the genuine reason why it happens to be that way is because it is near, if not completely impossible to actually create the perfect community. This is because of natural human behaviour, and the reality of the real world. Behind the human mind, there are many flaws that go against the greater good. We were all once animals fighting for survival in an unfair world, our way of thinking may have changed, but us being natural animals and the world around us hasn’t. Due to this, creating the perfect

Even though it was written around the time of 320 BCE, the teachings hold up even to this day. Plato’s vision of the perfect community can be found on page 100 of “Republic”(Book 3), and it is described as: “The Myth of the Medals”. What Plato mentions in his novel is what he believes to be the best option of a community's social structure. Before reciting what Plato actually believes that to be, his idea of what the natural social is must be conveyed. Based upon the natural way that people are born, he declares that: “When the god was forming you, he mixed gold into those of you who are capable of ruling, which is why they are the most honorable; silver into the auxiliaries; and iron and bronze into the farmers and other craftsmen” (Plato & Reeve 100). What he is saying, is that he believes that people when they are born should already have their life laid out in front of them, with their role in a hierarchical society varying between upper(gold), middle(silver), and lower(iron and bronze) roles, these are not necessarily considered classes. However, in his mind the upper class should be “guardians”, the middle class being “auxiliaries”, and the lower class being “producers”. The way that people are chosen into their roles of society is based upon a selection process that is based upon their natural aptitudes with what they are born with, not with what social-class they are born into. As people grow older and put themselves out into the world, they will realize what role(or medal) they are going to be. This proposed practice that Plato talks about is a controversial one, as it in some ways takes away individual freedom to a point. Another social structure system that actually happened and was partly successful, are the historical Puritan communities in Massachusetts. The social structure that they have is one that is