Researchers traditionally define society as a group of people who interact with each other basing on the common culture, morality, and economy. To become the society, a group of people should function as an organization.
From this point, to create an ideal society, it is necessary to change the principles of organization and to propose new patterns according to which people should interact with each other as the complex organism. The concept of the ideal society is discussed in the works by many philosophers. It is important to pay attention to the conception presented by Plato in his work The Republic on the issue of the ideal society.
Thus, Plato discusses social classes and forms of governance to provide the model of the ideal society. To propose one more model of the ideal society, it is necessary to refer to the classical Plato’s vision. Nevertheless, the concept of the ideal society is rather utopian because of impossibility to create this society in reality.
Although the notion of ideal society is a controversial question with the elements of utopia, there are specific features and components which combination can contribute to constructing the model of the perfect society with references to the personal vision of an ideal.
Society as a collective consists of individuals whose human nature makes them compete and fight for the better resources. Nevertheless, people can be discussed as good and sympathetic while living in the community if their interests are met. Thus, people become aggressive if they are afraid of losing their resources, property, or advantageous living conditions.
As a result, to build the community where relations are based on the positive side of the human nature, it is necessary to create the specific conditions to respond to the interests and expectations of the majority (Ede and Cormack). The task of the social leaders is to orient to interests of the majority in order to avoid the opposition of the public which can lead to revealing the negative qualities of people living in society.
Referring to the mentioned task, it is possible to formulate the purpose of the ideal society. Society can be discussed as a strong organization where all the components of the society cooperate with each other for the common good. In its turn, the effective cooperation of the society’s members depends on the particular features of organization. From this point, the society should be organized in a specific way to provide the social support and assistance for all the members.
The purpose of the society is to protect individuals with the help of organizing them in a group where people can freely and effectively interact with each other. Thus, the society is created to help people satisfy and complete their needs (Osborne). The fulfillment of people’s interests should become the main purpose of any society because society as an institution is only the organization of individuals which interests are important for the further successful development of the whole group.
The principles of satisfying the people’s needs and interests within the ideal society are correlated with the concept of justice according to which this society should function. According to Plato, the idea of justice is closely associated with the personality of the leader ruling the society.
Plato states that philosophers should become social rulers because only these people can guarantee the rule of justice within the group of people organized as society. Moreover, justice should be represented in just laws which are followed by all the society’s representatives without opposition because of the ruler’s significant authority.
Plato continues that philosophers should be chosen as the rulers of society because they create just laws not to accentuate their power, but to contribute to the social good (Plato). However, just laws are developed to control the actions of the public. The just and rational control is necessary for the society in order to prevent the social degeneration and the further focus on chaos. From this perspective, justice plays an important role in society.
Society in which just laws are used and just leaders rule contributes to creating the common good. It is important to note that in spite of the concentration of modern public on the ideas of individualism and freedom of choice, people cannot live without social interactions and their communication is directed toward creating the good for a personality without doing any harm in relation to the other members of society.
This positive pattern of communication within the society is possible with references to the ideal society. Referring to the real societies and to the elements of their functioning, it is necessary to note that people can achieve the welfare only while acting within the society as the part of it because of sharing the common economic infrastructure and participating in the same social institutions (Brym and Lie). From this point, the society develops to produce the common good for all the members.
The question of a governmental system used in the perfect society is one of the most controversial ones in relation to the idea of constructing the society focusing on the interests of the majority. The governmental system is significant for the society in order to provide the necessary control. It is possible to refer to the responsibility of an individual and to the democratic form of government as the best choices for the society when all the associated legal laws, social rules, and principles are clearly stated.
People need limits in order to avoid chaos. That is why, just laws are important for all the forms of government, including democracy. Democracy is based on the ideals of freedom, equality, rights, and choice (Appelrouth). All the mentioned concepts are appreciated by modern people because these ideas provide the context for the development of individualities.
Nevertheless, Plato claims that much freedom guaranteed with references to the democratic principles can lead to chaos, people’s outrage, and social mess (Plato). From this perspective, the legal system should work for the society providing people with just laws. Appropriate social norms and rules should be developed with references to the principles of morality which is accepted in the definite society. These easy points can help prevent the democratic society from the decay.
However, people are inclined to follow laws correctly and avoid their violation when they are satisfied with the position within the society, including the social status and welfare. To improve the state of the public, the democratic government should implement the effective economic system. Today, people pay much attention to such concepts as equality and freedom (Levitas).
These notions are also relevant to discuss the ideal economic system for society. Thus, capitalism guarantees the focus on people’s freedoms, and the principle of equality is discussed from the point of fair competition. Nevertheless, only laissez-faire capitalism can help people realize their freedoms and rights in the economic sphere fully because economy is not controlled by the government.
That is why, this economic system is the most appropriate for contributing to the progress of the democratic society. The democratic society provides equal opportunities for all the people to achieve the necessary welfare (Ede and Cormack). Laissez-faire capitalism limits the control of the government and focuses on people’s interests when they develop strategies to improve their business and achieve the economic success with references to their abilities and intentions.
Focusing on the ideas presented earlier, it is necessary to note that individuals living in such societies should be characterized by the developed feelings of responsibility and respect for each other (Novacek). Such issues as racism, discrimination, and prejudice are inappropriate for the ideal society. That is why, the public should be well-educated.
The accents should be made on the primary education when children learn the moral norms and principles and on the higher education when people choose their career path. It is important to note that moral training is effective when it is combined with education. Well-educated people are able to live in the society where the focus is made on following definite laws and norms strictly.
Equality should be realized in providing the equal educational opportunities (Osborne). Furthermore, morality and religion are connected spheres. People need moral limits to live in society according to the definite rules. From this point, the role of religion and morality in society is to control people without the impact of any external factors, but with the accents on the inner world and personal inclinations.
Plato proposes the Allegory of the Cave in order to depict the reality from the point of ordinary people who are ‘prisoners’ within the society (Plato). The journey out of the cave is necessary for people as the representatives of the society in which the public concentrates on education, equality, and freedoms.
To help people go out the ‘cave’, it is necessary to achieve the balance between the social control and role of individuality in community. The focus on democracy, laissez-faire capitalism, and individualism is possible when people are allowed to leave their ‘caves’ and begin to participate in the life of their society as morally and socially responsible personalities.
Family is the main social institution which is typical for traditional societies. The creation of family is the creation of a micro-society with the specific hierarchy and rules. Nowadays, people are inclined to interact within the larger groups and rely only on their own abilities. Family in its traditional form cannot be discussed as the effective way to organize the society (Appelrouth). The main accents should be made on socially responsible individuals who are flexible in their interactions.
Society in which the majority of people can satisfy their needs and achieve the necessary welfare without violating the rights and freedoms of the other people can be discussed as ideal. This society is based on the principles of democracy, free will, and free choice. In this situation, rulers or social leaders are only reflectors of the public’s will. However, strict norms and laws which prohibit the illegal and immoral behaviors should regulate the life within the society without limiting the people’s basic rights and opportunities.
Works Cited
Appelrouth, Scott. Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory: Text and Readings. USA: Pine Forge Press, 2008. Print.
Brym, Robert, and John Lie. Sociology: Your Compass for a New World. USA: Cengage Learning, 2006. Print.
Ede, Andrew, and Lesley Cormack. A History of Science in Society: From Philosophy to Utility. USA: University of Toronto Press, 2004. Print.
Levitas, Ruth. The Concept of Utopia. USA: Peter Lang, 2010. Print.
Novacek, Pavel. “Human Values Compatible with Sustainable Development”. Journal of Human Values 19.1 (2013): 5-13. Print.
Osborne, Roger. Civilization: A New History of the Western World. USA: Pegasus Books, 2006. Print. Plato. The Republic. USA: Cambridge University Press, 2000. Print.