Portrait of Plato
Other · Thinker or writer · From history

Plato

Philosopher, c. 428 to 348 BCE

Founded the Academy in Athens and, in the Republic, imagined a city ruled by philosopher-kings and guarded by a trained class. He distrusted democracy after it condemned his teacher Socrates.

Plato sits in the left-authoritarian part of the Caucus economy and liberty compass: leaning state-led and strongly authoritarian. The clearest positions are strongly authoritarian on liberty and authority, strongly institutional on institutions and strongly traditional on culture.

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Where Plato sits on ten dimensions

Each scale runs from one pole to the other, and the dot shows the overall tendency of this person's record and public life. These are simplified estimates and open to debate.

💰EconomyLeaning state-led
State-ledFree market
⚖️Liberty and authorityStrongly authoritarian
LibertarianAuthoritarian
🎭CultureStrongly traditional
ProgressiveTraditional
🌍NationLeaning nationalist
GlobalistNationalist
🌱EnvironmentSlightly nature-first
Growth-firstNature-first
🤖TechnologySlightly tech-cautious
Tech-cautiousTech-optimist
🕊️War and peaceLeaning strength-first
Peace-firstStrength-first
🏛️InstitutionsStrongly institutional
Anti-establishmentInstitutional
🙏ReligionStrongly religious
SecularReligious
🛡️InterventionismSlightly interventionist
Non-interventionistInterventionist

People most like Plato

Mswati III King of Eswatini, 1986 to present97%Hassanal Bolkiah Sultan and Prime Minister of Brunei, 1967 to present97%Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Emir of Kuwait, 2023 to present97%Abdelmadjid Tebboune President of Algeria, 2019 to present96%Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo President of Equatorial Guinea, 1979 to present96%Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa King of Bahrain, 2002 to present (ruler since 1999)96%Denis Sassou Nguesso President of the Republic of the Congo, 1979 to 1992 and 1997 to present96%Azali Assoumani President of the Comoros, 2002 to 2006 and 2016 to present96%

People furthest from Plato

Emma Goldman Russian-born anarchist and writer, 1869 to 19402%Murray Rothbard American economist, 1926 to 19953%Ayn Rand Russian-American novelist and philosopher, 1905 to 19824%Peter Kropotkin Russian anarchist and naturalist, 1842 to 19214%

Political views closest to Plato

One-nation conservatismA paternalist conservatism holding that the better off owe duties to the poor and to…96%MonarchismSupports a hereditary monarch as head of state, from ceremonial constitutional monarchy…96%CorporatismOrganizes society into industry and professional bodies that bargain with the state, an…95%Confucian meritocracyPrefers rule by educated, moral officials chosen by merit over competitive elections.94%

Read more about Plato

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Biographies of PlatoBooks on one-nation conservatism

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Percentages show how close two profiles are across all ten dimensions. Including a person here is for study and comparison, not approval. Portrait: Marie-Lan Nguyen, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; see all photo credits.