Plato’s Second-Best State is Aristotle’s Ideal State

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Upon realising the impracticability of the Rule of Philosopher King, Plato would later offer his second-best State in The Laws, making a major theoretical shift. In The Laws, Plato’s Rule of Philosopher King is replaced by the rule of sovereign law.

In The Laws, Plato admitted that human nature is too fragile to realise his ideal State. Thus, he acknowledged the inevitability of a government based on the rule of law. Plato realised that law is a necessary condition for a moral and civilised life.

Plato permitted private property, allowed the institution of family, developed the concept of mixed constitution, provided equal application of laws to both rulers and the ruled, and asserted the necessity of law in ensuring stability of the State.

Plato further held that in a political relationship the subject should not wholly resign his judgement and responsibility. He emphasised that constitutional rule is consistent, constitutional ruler rules by consent, and general regulations are better than arbitrary decrees.

These features of Plato’s second-best State are essentially the features of Aristotle’s best State. According to Ernest Barker, Aristotle was largely indebted to The Laws for his general theory of politics; he was under the greatest debt to The Laws for his picture of an ideal State. Aristotle’s theory of mixed constitution, his defence of private property and institution of family reflect Plato’s The Laws.

ASSESSMENT

Plato wrote The Laws as an attempt to institute a government that resembled existing reality. However, it became a duplication of the ideal State described in The Republic. Except for the community of family and property, all other features were identical. Education also continued to have the same purpose.

Plato’s second-best State resembled Aristotle’s polity, but Plato’s was more oligarchic in tone compared to Aristotle’s emphasis on democratic elements.

Aristotle retained and refined many of Plato’s ideas, but carved his own philosophy that made him stand out in the history of political philosophy.