At the forefront of Plato’s primary depictions of an ideal city in The Republic is the concept of communism where two practices are vital: the sharp limitation of “private property” and the “regulation of wealth and poverty” (Brown par.4). Based on a strictly communal arrangement in all spheres of society, the philosopher reckons that the destruction of hierarchies and aristocracies would form the basis on which leaders become just. There would be no favoritism and egalitarianism would finally happen. On that note, justice in Plato’s The Republic entails the fair distribution of wealth and power and the guarantee of social mobility as opposed to the rigid structures of societies that predominantly oppressed the poor and exalted the wealthy. If riches are primarily for the rich and poverty for the poor, then something is wrong, and justice is lacking.
With the given facts in mind, the doctrines of the 1927 Report on an Investigation of the Peasant Movement in Hunan portray similar strategies as its subject went about ensuring the destruction of the societal hierarchies in the five cities visited by Mao. The central aim of the revolutionary efforts entailed attacks against the “local tyrants, the evil gentry and the lawless landlords” who thrived at the expense of the impoverished individuals in the communities (Mao 43). Apparently, while the peasants made up the lowest social class and were subject to the whims of the dominant middle and high classes, the latter faction also doubled as public officials (Mao 61). As a result, justice was for the rich while the poor wallowed in misery. In contrast to the mentioned scenarios, and as part of the changes brought on by the peasant associations, private properties in the revolution did not guarantee prestigious positions. Additionally, money lost its relevance in authority because the people could no longer buy the keys to an office or a seat in the Association. Private properties finally had a limit and as a result, the peasants finally initiated the implementation of Plato’s perceptions.
In conclusion, the guiding principles of Mao’s writing reflect the ideas of Plato by focusing on the distribution and implantation of both wealth and power. Evidently, if all persons cannot achieve the same level of authority or possess equal amounts of properties, then the only remaining options entail discrediting the two. Communism did just that by supporting rural farming in China. Unlike an industrial-based economy, basic food production was mostly non-commercial and for that reason, communal progress overrode capitalism.
Works Cited
Brown, Eric. "Plato's Ethics and Politics in The Republic." 31 August 2009. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Ed. Edward N. Zalta. Web. 12 April 2016. <http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2011/entries/plato-ethics-politics/>.
Tse-tung, Mao. "Report On An Investigation Of The Peasant Movement In Hunan (1927)." Cheek, Timothy. Mao Zedong and China's Revolutions: A Brief History with Documents. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2002. 41-75. Print.
