THE REPUBLIC OF PLATO - Studyplace

58 CHAPTEk VI [II. 371
all kinds of goods-merchants, as we call them. We must have
them; and if they are to do business overseas, we shall need quite
a nwnber of ship-owners and others who know about that branch
of trading.
We shall.
Again, in the city itself how are the various sets of producers to
exchange their products That was our object, you will remember,
in forming a community and so laying the foundation of our state.
Obviously, they must buy and sell.
That will mean having a market-place, and a currency to serve
as a token for purposes of exchange.
Certainly.
Now suppose a farmer, or an artisan, brings some of his produce
to market at a time when no one is there who wants to exchange
with him. Is he to sit there idle, when he might be at work
No, he replied; there are people who have seen an opening here
for their services. In well-ordered communities they are generally
men not strong enough to be of use in any other occupation. They
have to stay where they are in the market-place and take goods for
money from those who want to sell, and money for goods from
those who want to buy.
That, then, is the reason why our city must include a class of
shopkeepers-so we call these people who sit still in the marketplace
to buy and sell, in contrast with merchants who travel to
other countries.
Quite so.
There are also the services of yet another class, who have the
physical strength for heavy work, though on intellectual grounds
they are hardly worth including in our society-hired labourers, as
we call them, because they sell the use of their strength for wages.
They will go to make up our population.
Yes.
Well, Adeimantus, has our state now grown to its full size
Perhaps.
Then, where in it shall we find justice or injustice If they have
come in with one of the elements we have been considering, can
you say with which one