Syamasundara dasa: Plato believed that the perfect state should be organized in such a way that men can strive for the ideal. He equates political activity with moral endeavor, and he says that the ruler of the state must be a wise man (philosopher king), or a group of wise men. In a perfect society, each individual functions to his best capacity according to his natural abilities. This leads to the most harmonious type of society.
Srila Prabhupada: This idea is also found in Bhagavad-gita, in which Krsna says that the ideal society is a society of four varnas: brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, and sudra. In human society, as well as animal society, every living being is under the influence of the modes of material nature—sattva-guna , rajo-guna, and tamo-guna—that is, goodness, passion, and ignorance. By dividing men according to these qualities, society can be perfect. If a man in the mode of ignorance assumes a philosopher's post, havoc will result. Nor can we have a philosopher work as an ordinary laborer. There must be some scientific division in order to perfect society. According to the Vedas, the brahmanas, the most intelligent men interested in transcendental knowledge and philosophy, should be given a topmost post, and the ksatriyas, the administrators, should work under their instructions. The administrators should see that there is law and order and that everyone is doing his duty. The next section is the productive class, the vaisyas, who are engaged in agriculture and cow protection. There are also the sudras, the common laborers, who work for the benefit of the other sections. Of course, now there is industrialization, and large scale industry means exploitation. Such industry was unknown to Vedic civilization. Then, people lived by agriculture and cow protection. If there are healthy cows and enough milk, everyone can get grains, fruits, vegetables, and other foods. That is sufficient in itself. Unfortunately, modern civilization has taken to animal eating, and this is barbarous. This is not even human.
Ideal society is a society of brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas, and sudras. In Srimad-Bhagavatam, these divisions are compared to the body: the head, the arms, the belly, and the legs. All parts of the body are meant to keep the body fit. Comparatively, the head is more important than the legs. However, without the help of the legs, the body cannot properly work. The head must give the directions to the body to go to this place or that, but if the legs are unfit to walk, the body cannot move. Therefore there must be cooperation, and this cooperation is found in the ideal state. Nowadays, rascals, fools, and asses are being voted in as administrators. If a person can secure a vote in some way or another, he is given the post of an administrator, even though he may be rascal number one. So what can be done? For this reason, people cannot be happy.
The ideal state functions under the directions of the brahmanas. The brahmanas themselves are not personally interested in political affairs or administration because they have a higher duty. Presently, because the head is missing, the social body is a dead body. The head is very important, and our Krsna consciousness movement is attempting to create some brahmanas who can properly direct society. The administrators will be able to rule very nicely under the instructions of the philosophers and theologians—that is, God conscious people. A person who is theistic will never condone the opening of slaughterhouses. Because there are many rascals heading the government, animal slaughter is allowed. When Maharaja Pariksit saw the personification of Kali trying to kill a cow, he immediately drew his sword and said, "Who are you? Why are you trying to kill this cow?" That was a real king.
(Dialectic Spiritualism: A Vedic View of Western Philosophy - The Greek Foundation - Plato - By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)
http://prabhupadabooks.com/pdf/Dialectic_Spiritualism-A_Vedic_View_on_Western_Philosophy.pdf
http://dialecticspiritualism.com/plato/
Jaya Shri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu Nityananda
Shri Advaita Gadadhara Shrivasadi Gaura Bhakta Vrinda
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