SOCIAL STATUS IN PLATO'S IDEAL STATE; IT'S RELEVANCE TO NIGERIAN SOCIETY
CHAPTER ONE
1:0 General Introduction
1:0:1 Introduction
Man, by nature, is a social animal said Plato. But every “society is made up of unique individuals who fail or succeed, are powerful or weak, not as a consequence of stratification but because of their individual biographies”.[i] It implies that man, being naturally social, unique and differs from one another in terms of individual biography, forms a society, which is comprised of different individuals with different or diverse natural dispositions and talents. Due to this diversity of human natural ability in doing things in the midst of limitless human needs, there arise the need for exchange of service, which, for Plato, is the source of origin of any society2. Because of the limited means of achieving one’s needs, man consequently devised scale of preference. As a result, different people with different functions in the society receive different regards and rewards. Therefore one could be right to say that social division in terms of status is real, tangible and inevitable in every society.
Any social status ascribed to a person or group of persons, most a time is in relation to the role the person or group of persons played or is/ are playing in the society. Plato was also in this frame of thought, of functional stratification, when he was formulating his ideal state. He ascribed more important social position or prestige to the ruling class in the state. But classification of individuals into social strata was not the end-in-itself of the ideal state. Rather the aim was one way of demonstrating his dissatisfaction with then existing Athenian government. So, he formulated his dream state, which will be free from all the known social, political, economic, and moral evils.
Consequently, the ideal state was based on his idea of man as a rational, social, political and moral being. He wanted the kind of society with the necessary conditions or qualities for attainment of man’s natural needs in accordance with the hierarchy of human social status. For this he says, “If we have founded it (state)3 properly, our state is presumably perfect… Then it will obviously have the qualities of wisdom, courage, self- discipline, and justice” 4
How hierarchy of human social status and the method of stratification contribute to the well-being and attainment of man’s needs is the central purpose of this work. But we see it in the light of Plato’s idea of idea state. Before going on, let us first of all reveal the profile of Plato briefly in order to understand his thought more properly.
1:2 A Brief Profile Of Plato
Plato was born in about 427 BC to Ariston and Perictione, a wealthy aristocratic family, in Athens. He grew up when Athens were in war conflict with the Spartans, which started few years before his birth. His life ambition was to become a politician. So, he joined the company of other young aristocrats who studied under Socrates. He wished to find some better political arrangement for his city. But Plato was disappointed by the way the Athens treated his master, Socrates. After the death of Socrates, Plato traveled to the Greek city of Megara, Mediterranean and returned to Athens mentally richer.
He founded a philosophical school known to be the first western European intellectual organisation.5 The academy later became inclined to politics. That is why some ancient accounts hold that the academy functioned in part as a political consultants’ group. This was so because Plato believed that ignorance is the cause of those social and political evils in Athens. Therefore, the Athenian bureaucrats need to be educated lest they continue to sin against philosophy by killing another Socrates. Having traveled far and wide, and experienced different types of governments, Plato found non of them satisfactory; and so, he sought to formulate his dream state free from the known errors. This is the background from which Plato propounded his Ideal State. He died in Athens in about 348 BC.
1:3 Purpose Of The Study
In any existing human society, irrespective of time and place, there is always politics. Because togetherness calls for orderliness; yet, any ordered or well-organised society implies well-structured society. Every society comprises of different people of different talents and interests some doing one thing and others doing another, some leading, others being led, yet cumulatively making a kind of anatomical whole.
Unfortunately, Nigeria as a society does not appear to be ordered nor well organised. This is, in a way, not because of the lack who does what, but because of the prestige, honour, and status attached to what one possesses or achieved has become more important than the need for better society. That is why I chose Plato’s ideal state in portraying how social status in Nigeria contributed towards the social situation in Nigeria today. I so much believe that if the aim and spirit in which Plato created his ideal state is followed in reevaluating and reconstructing our society. It will lead to a harmonious and well-ordered society. Plato wanted a society free from corruption, injustice, economic wastes (through poverty and extreme riches), laziness, ignorance and other social evils. He wanted a well structured and organised society where everyone from any social class does his duty well.
My purpose is not to reveal which social class is inferior or superior to others; rather, I want to demonstrate how a well organised society, in terms of attachment of importance to one’s social status can aid development. I am trying to portray that it can be of help when every one in any social class considers his position and those of others as equally important, since they make a complementary whole. No wonder Plato said that “quality and quantity are more easily produced when a man specialises appropriately on a single job for which he is naturally fitted.”6
1:4 Methological Approach To The Work
To bring out the necessary areas in creating the state, which are of immediate relevance to the work. In the literature review, I brought out two groups of philosophers; those who dealt with the analysis of the operative concepts; and those who dealt with the method of social stratification or status classification. Then I did a kind of comparative study of social status and method of stratification in Plato’s ideal state and what is obtainable in our Nigerian society. On another note, the work look more sociological, yet, I sounded ethical in certain areas, especially in chapters four and five. This is because; my aim is to demonstrate how well structured society contributes to the well-being of the society. And well-being is encompassing, including religious and moral aspects of life.
Secondly, on the part of scope covered, my area of interest in this work is limited to the organisational patterns in the society. I used the social stratification of citizens into different functional strata by Plato as a paradigm. It is not because of its perfect nature; rather because of the aim and spirit behind such stratification. I tried to use that pattern to evaluate the Nigerian society, in terms of social classification of its citizens into classes and the importance attached to them. To make the work more clearly, I sighted some philosophers’ analysis of the operative concepts and how some postulated theories on social status. Due to the size of the work, I did not go into historical background of the terms; rather, I limited myself more to its practical manifestations in writings and practice.
Lastly, the work is divided into five chapters. Chapter one is the general introduction. It gives an overview of what is to be discoursed, source of inspiration, the aim, the angle from which it is going to be approached, and how the work is divided. Chapter two deals with revealing some philosophers’ conceptions of the operative concepts and how it should be practiced. Plato’s ideal sate, the aim of its postulation and the importance of social classification in the state are the concern of chapter three. My own aim of dealing with Plato’s ideal state was revealed in chapter four. Social status in Nigeria, dimensions of the stratification, effects and social mobility in Nigerian society are also treated in this chapter. Chapter five handled the critical evaluations and then conclusion of the whole work: it is here also that I made my own stand and opinion clear
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature Review
2.1 Introduction
The review of relevant literature is the main topic of this chapter. A literature review covers theoretical and methodological contributions to a certain issue in addition to the state of knowledge at the time of writing. It provides information about the state of the art in relation to the subject you are writing about. It examines the body of work on the chosen subject. The literature evaluation in this study comprises the …
Procedure for Downloading the PDF (Docx) Material
Social Status in Plato’s Ideal State; It’s Relevance to Nigerian Society can be downloaded by requesting the full set of materials at the project or seminar cost. The document will be sent via Microsoft Word (MS-Word) format via WhatsApp (e-mail) following payment confirmation.
| Seminar Material Cost ₦3,000 | Project Material Cost ₦5,000 |
Request Complete Material
 | Click here to request the Complete Material via WhatsApp including;
|
Disclaimer for Complete Material Utilization
The displayed research work titled "Social Status in Plato's Ideal State; It's Relevance to Nigerian Society" is stated as a research guideline towards accomplishing your assigned project / seminar research work. All the research materials on this website are ONLY for research purposes and should be used as a guideline in developing your research work. For no reason should you copy word for word as projectlist.com.ng will not be liable for any who copied the material. By ordering the complete research guideline, it signifies that you've accepted our terms of service.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can the material for “The Influence of Motivation on Productivity Among Employees” be used as a guide for Education Project?
Yes it can be used — This study was embarked upon to examine The Influence of Motivation on Productivity among Employees (A Case Study of Finbank Plc., Lagos State). The survey research design was adopted to conduct the study. The study was set to achieve the following objectives: to ascertain whether motivation could influence the productivity of workers in the banking industries; whether employees at the marketiing department of Finbank are well motivated; if bank workers attach much importance to their being motivated or not; whether management understands the importance of motivation in the growth of bank workers and the banking industry, and to make necessary recommendations that would assist bank management in taking decisions relating to effective motivation of bank workers in the banking industries …
Is the topic “Design and Implementation of Financial Tracking System for a Health Organisation” recommended for Computer Science (CS) Project?
Yes it is highly recommended — Financial tracking is the practice of keeping track of one’s income and spending on a daily basis. The aim of the study is to design and implement a Financial Tracking System for a Health Organisation. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out to implement a computerized platform for health organisation financial tracking and properly store and secure the financial statement, report and records of the daily expenditures on health organization. The motivation that led to the implementation of the proposed system is that there is consistent prevalence of errors in calculations arrived out on financial reports which are traceable to human mistakes and shortcoming. There is also the problem of poor handling of financial statement, report …
Can the material for “The Impact of Accounting Records on Performance of Business Organisations” be used as a guide for Accountancy / Accounting Project?
Yes it can be used — The study investigates the study is to examine the Impact of Accounting Records on Performance of Business Organisation in Nigerian bottling Company PLC in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out to determine the nature of accounting records, determine the standard and relevance of accounting information, appraise the impact of accounting records on the performance of business organization, and determine the impact of accounting records on the performance of Nigerian bottling company plc. The research design used in this report is descriptive design, utilizing questionnaire method to obtain information from the respondents for this project. Primary data were collected from the primary source which questionnaire was used as an instrument of data collection …
Is the topic “Impact of Inter-Religious Marriage among Muslim and Christian on National Integration” recommended for Religious Studies Project?
Yes it is highly recommended — Interreligious marriage refers to the marriage between persons of two different religions backgrounds. It may involve difference in country, language, race, ethnicity, political ideology, dressing styles, food customs, and living styles. The study scrutinizes the Impact of Inter-Religious Marriage among Muslim and Christian on National Integration. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out will identify the consequences of Inter-Religious Marriage among Muslim and Christian on National Integration, and highlight the factors which gave rise to Inter-Religious Marriage family unit, to offer suggestion that will bring about lasting solution to this menace. The research design used in this report is descriptive design, utilizing questionnaire method to obtain information from the respondents for this project. A total of …
Can the material for “The Impact of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises on Economic Growth in Nigeria (1982-2012)” be used as a guide for Economics Project?
Yes it can be used — This research work is on the impact of small and medium scale enterprises on economic growth in Nigeria. The main objective of this study is to empirically examine the impact of small and medium scale enterprises on economic growth in Nigeria. This research work made use of secondary data which were obtained from the Central bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin (2012). The data were collected for a period of thirty one years (i.e. 1982-2012). The Ordinary Least Square Regression Technique was employed in the analysis of the data. It was found among other things that Based on the empirical analysis, it is concluded that small and medium scale enterprises has significant relationship with economic growth in Nigeria. SME developments cuts across …
Can the material for “Design and Construction of a Fire Alarm System using Thermistor” be used as a guide for Electrical / Electronics Engineering (EE) Project?
Yes it can be used — Fire alarm is an electronics device that is stored in a building to detect the presence of fire accident. An automatic fire alarm system is designed to detect the unwanted presence of fire by monitoring environmental changes associated with combustion. The study was conducted to design and construct a Fire Alarm System using Thermistor. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out to build a circuit that detects the fire and activates the Siren Sound or Buzzer and construct a device that will detect the unwanted presence of fire by monitoring environmental changes associated with combustion. In general, a fire alarm system is classified as either automatically actuated, manually actuated, or both. Automatic fire alarm systems are …
Can this topic “Impact of Awareness of Media Campaign on Drug Abuse Among Undergraduates” be used for Mass Communication (MC) Project?
Yes it can be utilized for research — The study was carried out to assess the Impact of Awareness of Media Campaign on Drug Abuse among Undergraduate Students. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out to examine whether newspapers mass media educate and enlighten the general public on drug abuse, examine the problem facing the mass media in creating awareness on drug abuse and investigate the contribution of newspapers towards drug abuse through advertisement and alcohol promo. Mass media in organization provides news and opinions to a large number of people, retaining these people and building internal and external good will beyond reasonable assumption needed for an organization to remain and prosper in it. This led to the establishment of the media in Nigeria, …
Is the topic “An investigation into risk management practices amongst quantity surveyors in the Nigerian construction industry” recommended for Quantity Surveying (QS) Project?
Yes it is highly recommended — Quantity surveying is concerned with controlling and managing construction projects. This study to investigated the practice of risk management amongst the construction practitioners specifically the quantity surveyor in the Nigerian construction industry, evaluated the quantity surveyor's level of awareness and acceptance on Risk Management practice, identified the current practice of risk management amongst Quantity Surveyors’ and examined the barriers and challenges to the implementation of risk management in construction project from the quantity surveyor's point of view. Simple random sampling with proportionate representation was used to select 50 quantity surveyors in Owerri, Imo state. Structured questionnaire was used for data collection and this was supplemented with interview of key informants. Percentage was the main statistical procedure employed in data analysis. …
Can the material for “Management of Foreign Exchange in Nigeria by CBN” be used as a guide for Banking and Finance (BF) Project?
Yes it can be used — This thesis deals with foreign exchange management in Nigeria by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from 1959 to July 2004. The need to manage foreign exchange became imperative as a result of dis equilibrium in the foreign exchange market caused by inadequate supply of foreign exchange management is a conscious attempt to harnesses foreign exchange resources deploy them to service the economy so as to prevent the economy from experiencing shocks due to foreign exchange volatility. The central focus of thesis is to examine how CBN through its policy measures manages foreign exchange in the country. To carryout this thesis, the respondent makes use of both primary and secondary data. Questionnaires were in line with the objective of the study. Based …
Can the material for “An Evaluative Study of Manpower Training and Development in the Public Service” be used as a guide for Industrial Relations and Personnel Management (IRPM) Project?
Yes it can be used — This research examined Manpower Training and Development in the Public Service with special reference to Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON). The research adopted survey research design. Data were gathered through primary source with the aid of a well-structured questionnaire. Simple random sampling technique was adopted in the selection of sample, this was used to eliminate biasness in the selection process of the respondents. Data garnered were presented on table using percentage and the formulated hypotheses were analysed with the used of Chi-square statistical method. The result of the analysis shows that lack of team work among staff and management of the Health Ministry it the major cause of conflict, it was also found that conflict management is necessary to improve …