Of the two
qualities which chiefly inspire regard and affection- that a thing
is your own and that it is your only one-neither can exist in such a
state as this.
Again, the transfer of children as soon as they are born from the
rank of husbandmen or of artisans to that of guardians, and from the
rank of guardians into a lower rank, will be very difficult to
arrange; the givers or transferrers cannot but know whom they are
giving and transferring, and to whom. And the previously mentioned
evils, such as assaults, unlawful loves, homicides, will happen more
often amongst those who are transferred to the lower classes, or who
have a place assigned to them among the guardians; for they will no
longer call the members of the class they have left brothers, and
children, and fathers, and mothers, and will not, therefore, be afraid
of committing any crimes by reason of consanguinity. Touching the
community of wives and children, let this be our conclusion.
V
Next let us consider what should be our arrangements about property:
should the citizens of the perfect state have their possessions in
common or not? This question may be discussed separately from the
enactments about women and children. Even supposing that the women and
children belong to individuals, according to the custom which is at
present universal, may there not be an advantage in having and using
possessions in common? Three cases are possible: (1) the soil may be
appropriated, but the produce may be thrown for consumption into the
common stock; and this is the practice of some nations.
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