Plato was the first Western thinker to ask philosophical questions bout government. (James L. Christian, Philosophy: An Introduction to the Art of Wondering, 349).
Plato's distrust of human nature and disgust for democracy had its roots in the Athenian democracy of Plato's youth and the determination of Athenian political leaders that Socrates, Plato's revered teacher, should die for instigating insurrection among the youth of the day.
Regarding social/civil order, Plato envisioned a utopia in which the authoritarian state conditions the young with stories and myths, marriage is regulated, reproduction is controlled for the purposes of eugenics, personal freedoms are non existent.
Plato argued that natural weaknesses incline us to form social relationships. Social and political structure is required to control envy and greed. The average person lacks knowledge and the mastery of emotions which are required for social civility. This lack of knowledge and emotional control hinders decision-making. According to Plato, people generally pursue their own self-interests.
Plato argued that asking individuals to run the State is asking for trouble since individuals are incapable of doing so due to the lack of knowledge and emotional control. He concluded that only those individuals who are well trained and are knowledgeable should be in control of the State. In fact, Plato argued that it is the duty of these individuals to control the State.
According to Plato, there are three forces at work in human society. First, there are the Rulers; second, there are the enforcers such as police and military; third, there are the workers. Each individual is born into one of these classes or groups.
Plato advanced the idea of the Noble Lie. The Noble Lie, according to Plato, was needed to maintain class distinctions. The essence of the Noble Lie is found in its emphasis that the individual is destined to be part of the particular social group into which they were born and that there is no changing one's social status, either by personal ambition, marriage, etc. The individual is to accept their social status.
