Explain Plato's view of human nature and analyze the role it plays in the Republic.

In Plato's The Republic, Plato's view of the city as a macrocosm of the individual creates the basis for his discussion of an ideal government. Making comparisons between the individual and the city, Plato persuades the audience in justifying his utopia. According to Plato, the guardians, who will rule the city, must be distinguished from the rest of the less competent population at birth, placed in an intense education program, and when they are ready, …

…form of government. Plato argues that only a very small group of men otherwise known as philosophers are fit to rule the city and even they must undergo a long period of training. Plato's view of human beings as weak and greedy can be hinted through the analysis of his writing. The only way for us to overcome these obstacles and find true happiness is through the continued search for knowledge and a just life.