Single Idea 19890

[catalogued under 24. Political Theory / B. Nature of a State / 1. Purpose of a State]

Full Idea

In the community all mutual exchanges are made on the assumption that the parties to them stand to gain.

Gist of Idea

All exchanges in a community are for mutual benefit

Source

Plato (The Republic [c.371 BCE], 369c)

Book Reference

Plato: 'The Republic', ed/tr. Lee,Desmond [Penguin 1988], p.118


A Reaction

The sole purpose of his society appears to be trading, either of goods or of services. The assumption is that if each individual were self-sufficient there would be no society, which strikes me as unlikely. Aristotle offers a better picture.

Related Idea

Idea 19889 People need society because the individual has too many needs [Plato]