Plato uses a meritocratic logic in his proposal for gender equality in Book V of the Republic. In his ideal community, the kallipolis, composed of producers, guardians and rulers, Plato advocates a specialization of occupation and status based on intrinsic nature and not on gender typology. Taking into account slight modifications resulting from the indisputable physical differences between the sexes, Plato's ideas are extraordinarily enlightened for his time, providing classic support to the feminist movement, although his theories on eugenics anticipate Nazi tactics and are, on the one hand modern perspective, unfair to both. men and women. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Plato recognizes the contradictory qualities of his statement that "one nature must practice one thing and another nature must practice a different thing, and that women and men are different. But now we assert that different natures must practice same things" (453e). After using an analogy that exploits the absurdity of placing bald men and their coiffed brothers in different occupations, Plato distinguishes between a difference of a truer nature, that of a male doctor and a male carpenter. In his meritocratic society, "if either the class of men or that of women shows superiority in some art or other practice, then we will say that that art must be assigned to it" (454c). Plato admits that, on the whole, "woman is weaker than man," although Glaucon notes that "many women are better than many men in many things" (455e; 455d). According to the Platonic system, women are allowed, according to their nature, to develop as musicians, doctors, or warriors, since such specialization is "not only possible but also better for a city" (457a). Recognizing women's slight physical inferiority, Plato assigns them "lighter parts of these tasks" (457a). The sexes are guaranteed an equal standard of living, with “no one privately owning anything,” including housing, and sexual interaction will be regulated by rulers (458). The best men are made to procreate with the best women, and vice versa. The children of elite citizens are cared for by civil servants, rather than by their own parents. Parents are not allowed to know the identity of their children. The procreative period is extended to different ages for men and women (up to 55 and 40 years respectively), after which they can mate as they wish, as long as no children are conceived (and if they do, it must be taken care of) on the understanding that one must not raise such a child") (459c). Most of Plato's arguments are difficult to deal with in our time and democratic society. Few would doubt that the best arbiter of employment is skill. However, the kallipolis It achieves this measure of gender equality only through its elitist brand of meritocracy. Government control should only extend so far as to ensure a level playing field and not award positions without respect and competition from citizens – an unfair policy for both. Furthermore, the eugenics present in kallipolis is unthinkable in our era, depriving citizens of the fundamental human rights to procreate and care for their children, and is reminiscent of Nazi philosophy. Despite these concerns, I believe the most objectionable passage of Book V from our perspective is the argument that women should be assigned lighter duties due to the “weakness of the class” (457a). Much current scientific experimentation addresses this problem. Also.