Political Science · Western Political Thought
Sabine said, 'What Aristotle calls the ideal state is always Plato's second-best state.' Which book of Plato contains the ideas of his second-best state?
ACrito
BStatesman
CLaws ✓ Correct
DRepublic
Correct answer: (C) Laws — Plato's second-best state is set out in his book the Laws.
Explanation
★Plato's second-best state is set out in his book the Laws.
★In the Laws Plato turns from the ideal philosopher king to a practical law governed state.
★This second-best state rests on the rule of law and a mixed constitution.
★Aristotle's best practicable state is built on just such a law and constitution based model.
★So Sabine says Aristotle's ideal is really Plato's second-best.
★The Republic, by contrast, describes Plato's first and ideal state ruled by philosophers.
★This judgement of Sabine appears in his A History of Political Theory of 1937.
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