The Open Society and Its Enemies (Routledge Classics)

by Karl Popper

What is the nature of human society, of the state? According to historicist methods, this fundamental question of sociology must be reformulated in this way: what is the origin of society and of the state? The reply given by Plato in the Republic as well as in the Laws24, agrees with the position described above as spiritual naturalism. The origin of society is a convention, a social contract. But it is not only that; it is, rather, a natural convention, i.e. a convention which is based upon human nature, and more precisely, upon the social nature of man. This social nature of man has its origin in the imperfection of the human individual. In opposition to Socrates25, Plato teaches that the human individual cannot be self-sufficient, owing to the limitations inherent in human nature. Although Plato insists that there are very different degrees of human perfection, it turns out that even the very few comparatively perfect men still depend upon others (who are less perfect); if for nothing else, then for having the dirty work, the manual work, done by them26. In this way, even the ‘rare and uncommon natures’ who approach perfection depend upon society, upon the state. They can reach perfection only through the state and in the state; the perfect state must offer them the proper ‘social habitat’, without which they must grow corrupt and degenerate. The state therefore must be placed higher than the individual since only the state can be self-sufficient (‘autark’), perfect, an...