Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

Upton Sinclair, ed. (1878–1968). rn The Cry for Justice: An Anthology of the Literature of Social Protest. 1915.

The Perfect City
(From “The Republic”)

Plato

Plato

(Greek philosopher, 427?–347 B.C. His “Republic” is the first, and perhaps the most famous, of all efforts to portray an ideal Society. The argument is in the form of a discussion between Socrates and some of his friends and pupils)

FIRST, then (said Socrates), let us consider in what manner those who dwell in the city shall be supported. Is there any other way than by making bread and wine, and clothes and shoes, and building houses? They will be nourished, partly with barley, making meal of it, and partly with wheat, making loaves, boiling part, and toasting part, putting fine loaves and cakes over a fire of stubble, or over dried leaves, and resting themselves on couches strewed with smilax and myrtle leaves. They and their children will feast, drinking wine, and crowned, and singing to the Gods; and they will pleasantly live together, begetting children not beyond their substance, guarding against poverty or war.

Glauco, replying, said: You make the men to feast, as it appears, without meats.

You say true, said I: for I forget that they need have meats likewise. They shall have salt and olives and cheese, and they shall boil bulbous roots and herbs of the field; and we set before them desserts of figs and vetches and beans; and they toast at the fire myrtle berries and the berries of the beech-tree, drinking in moderation. Thus passing their life in peace and health, and dying, as is likely, in old age, they will leave to their children another such life.

If you had been making, Socrates, said he, a city of hogs, what else would have fed them but these things?

But how should we do, Glauco, said I?

What is usually done, said he. They must, as I imagine, have their beds and tables, and meats and desserts, as we now have, if they are not to be miserable.

Be it so, said I: I understand you. We consider, it seems, not only how a city may exist, but a luxurious city; and perhaps it is not amiss; for in considering such a one, we may probably see how justice and injustice have their origin in cities. The true city seems to me to be such as we have described, like one who is healthy; but if you prefer that we likewise consider a city that is corpulent, nothing hinders it. For these things will not, it seems, please some, nor this sort of life satisfy them; but there shall be beds and tables and all other furniture, seasonings, ointments, and perfumes, mistresses, and confections: and various kinds of these. And we must no longer consider as alone necessary what we mentioned at the first, houses and clothes and shoes, but painting, too, and all the curious arts must be set agoing, and carving, and gold, and ivory; and all these things must be got, must they not?

Yes, said he.

Must not the city, then, be larger? For that healthy one is no longer sufficient, but is already full of luxury, and of a crowd of such as are in no way necessary to cities; such as all kinds of sportsmen, and the imitative artists, many of them imitating in figures, and colors; and others in music; and poets too, and their ministers, rhapsodists, actors, dancers, undertakers, workmen of all sorts of instruments, and what hath reference to female ornament, as well as other things. We shall need likewise many more servants. Do you not think they will need pedagogues, and nurses, and tutors, hair-dressers, barbers, victuallers too, and cooks? And further still, we shall want swineherds likewise; of these there were none in the other city (for there needed not); but in this we shall want these, and many other sorts of herds likewise, if any eat the several animals, shall we not?

Why not?

Shall we not, then, in this manner of life be much more in need of physicians than formerly?

Much more.

And the country, which was then sufficient to support the inhabitants, will, instead of being sufficient, become too little; or how shall we say?

Just so, said he.

Must we not then encroach upon the neighboring country, if we want to have sufficient for plough and pasture, and they in like manner upon us, if they likewise suffer themselves to accumulate wealth to infinity, going beyond the boundaries of necessaries?

There is great necessity for it, Socrates.

Shall we afterwards fight, Glauco, or how shall we do?

We shall certainly, said he.

We say nothing, said I, whether war does any evil or any good, but this much only: that we have found the origin of war, from which most especially arise the greatest mischiefs to states, both private and public.