Communism by Plato

 Communism

Plato’s communism of property and wives had psychological as well as practical basis. To his the community as whole everything the individual. A part from the community nothing. He divided the community of basis of functional usefulness.  A citizen was perform, the duty for which he was best filled and no other. He had to merge himself in the state and render the greatest possible service to the state. He was to be allowed, neither the opportunity nor incentive to do anything. He said serving the state he must not have any interest other than goes of the state. Hence he was not be allowed to collect private property. A desire to have personal property lead to the entertainment personal ambition and could being about a clash between individual personal interest and those of the state. To avoid this clash and to bring about perfect harmony in the state Plato’s advocate communism.

Plato’s communism aristocratic in conception. It is for and not by the whole community in applies only to upper classes and does not apply to the appetite class which retains private property. Plato’s system therefore, does not affect the economic structure of the society and allows the old individualists system of production. Plato’s state was not for the state ownership for collective of property. He was for individual ownership but collective use of it.
 

The guardian have not private property no land, no houses of their own. They shall have live in barrack and have their meals and common table. All must share rejoice and grite, alike at the same grains and the same losses and the words mine and tine must be pronounced by all simultaneously. Thus the family and the private property house no place in the platonic ideal state.
 

Plato’s believes that private family perpetuated properly and their fro communism of property made necessary the abolition of private family among guardians. He build up communism of wife on the basis of :

1. Emancipation of women.
2. Refers of marriage.

Woman must be brought out into public life. They must be properly educated for the service of society. The old system of private and permanent marriage must be replaced, among the guardians by one of temporary marital union; children born of temporary unions were to be brought up state nursery.  No parents could his own children; or a child his parents. According to his family system and the family feeling were the causes of personal ambitions and neutered feeling. He would allow no such thing as father, mother, children, etc. proper representatives of the opposite sexes were to be selected by the state for securing a proper type of children. Children, born of temporary unions were to be brought up in state- nurseries. No parent would know his own child or a child his parent. This would convert the whole guardian class into one family.
 

Plato convinced that not only a proper system of education but proper environment and habitation were necessary to produce and maintain his uncorrupted all important guardians. Hence he advocated communism of wives and property.

Criticism of Plato’s Communism

Plato’s make a beautiful picture but he did paint in appropriate color. In down discusses about the criticism of Plato’s communism:

1. Ignores the essential psychology of human nature. Plato advocacy of the abolition of private property and private family ignores essential psychology of human nature.
2. Plato’s communism goes against human freedom and equality, kills diversity and leads to excessive centralization.
3. It represses the instinct of acquisition and would lead to indolence.
4. It does not touch the lower class and is the best half communism.
5. Plato’s communism of wives and property, alongside his system of education, might develop into a hereditary aristocracy. By giving political power to the guardian classes and the economic power to the appetite class.
6. Plato failed to establish a co- relation between politics and economics which had been a marked feature of human history.
7. Communism of wives ignores the fundamental sex and parental instincts and is unworkable the individual as such an individual as he is a ‘social animal”.
8. Private family is an institution of civilization. Plato’s system ignores the healthy influence of heredity and family environment.
9. There is some affinity and identity between platonic communism and modern communism. The ideal of both is the formation of society the modern communism would banish the unchecked competition of individual with individual for economic power. Exactly as Plato sought to banish the unchecked competition of one selfish unit with another political power.

Finally, Plato’s communism would divide the society into two halves. His communism of wives would land to disharmony and his common property would destroy the sentiments of charity and benevolence.