Unity of State

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how in Book IV of Plato's Laws, the Athenian Stranger gives his views for the requirement of the unity of state. The paper shows how the description of the state corresponds to an isolated state, where everyone is governed by strict laws. The paper explains that the civil society proposed by the stranger is a society consisting of classes where there is no diversity and no desire to improve the lot of the city or individual. The paper maintains that Plato's desire to create unity of state could be a recipe for disaster for the state due to the high risk of groupthink, when the group's desire to be united overrides their desire to carefully consider a variety of options.

From the Paper:

"The Athenian recommends locating the city away from the sea shores to isolate the people from any contact with outsiders, finds virtue in just meeting the requirements of life and not generating enough to consider exporting to become rich. He thinks that residents should be of single race and religion to prevent internal strife religion. These are the characteristics of a highly controlled state."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Book Title: The Laws of Plato. Contributor: Thomas L. Pangle (translator), Publisher: Basic Books. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 1980.

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