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The Republic By Plato

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The Republic by Plato describes a society that is completely rational, based on Plato’s concept of the good life and developed to create and protect that sort of life within the context of a civil state. What Plato seeks in this text is a definition of the perfect life and the perfect state to promote and sustain that life - the Ideal State.
In this ideal state, the individual does not select his/her profession but it is chosen on a basis of assessment of ability and needs of society. All individuals are divided into classes through which they are to serve the state. These classes are: the guardian class, the auxiliary/soldier class and the common people/peasants. Plato’s ideal state is based on Pythagorean theory of the human nature. Pythagoras classifies human nature in three sections; reasons, courage and appetite. Plato then said that in the human psyche, there are three elements: the rational, the spirited and the appetitive elements as illustrated in the table below:
VIRTUE SOUL CLASS
Wisdom Rational Rulers
Courage Spirited Soldiers
Temperance Appetitive Artisans

Therefore, whichever element was dominant would determine the class the individual belongs to. These classes are: the Guardian class, the Auxiliary/Military class and the Professional class/peasants.
1. The guardian class: the guardians are those who the reason/rational element is dominant. Plato believed that the total happiness of the society can only be achieved when philosophers become kings or kings

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