Plato's ideal government is often referred to as the kallipolis in secondary literature: this name comes from the Greek "kallos" (beautiful, noble, fine) + "polis" (city-state). His kallipolis consists of three classes: the ruling philosopher kings and queens, the auxiliary warriors, and the moneymaking artisans and merchants. At birth, they are all told a noble lie and only the philosopher kings and queens are privy to the truth; the others are told that they were all born into a certain 'metal' and thus destined to occupy the place that they do. This prevents any kind of class struggle or uprising. In Book IV of the Republic, Plato describes justice as each class doing what it ought to do and not meddling in the business of the other classes. Thus the philosophers rule, the auxiliaries aid them and take care of military matters, and the moneymaking class consents to being ruled by the other two. This most closely resembles an aristocratic state in its original sense—in ancient Greek "aristos" merely meant excellent. Thus, Plato's ideal society is one where the most excellent people (the philosophers) rule the rest. Further, this is not a rule by subjugation, but a harmonious state (courtesy of the noble lie) where the other classes are content to be ruled.

Plato was not a democrat.  He did not believe that all people are equal or that the people are able to know best how to govern themselves.  Instead, his ideal form of government was one in which everyone knew their place in society.  It was a government in which the best people ruled while the others obeyed.

Plato says that human society is at its best when people are doing the thing at which they are best.  Therefore, a society is at its best when it is ruled by the best people.  The best people are those who are naturally fitted to ruling, not those who can gain enough votes to win an election.

In Plato’s idea society, government is run by a class called the guardians.  These are philosophers who know what is good and what is bad.  Because they know these things, they can set up society in the correct way.  They are people who love truth and knowledge above all else and apply what they learn to society.  They have to be chosen at a young age and developed so they will be worthy of ruling.

Below them is a group called the auxiliaries.  These are people who love honor above everything else.  They are brave and patriotic.  They defend the state.  Finally, there are all the other people.  They are called the producers and they are good at making things.  They want material comfort and wealth above all else, which makes them good at economic activities.

In this society, everyone does the thing that they are best at.  This is not democratic, but it is what Plato thought the ideal government would be like.

What did Plato think about government?

Plato's views on government can be found in the Republic as well as the Laws; however, it is only in the Republic that he considers a range of different regimes.

In book IV, he tells us that the ideal regime, the one of his kallipolis, will feature harmony between the three classes in the state: the ruling philosopher kings, the warrior auxiliaries, and the moneymakers (artisans, merchants). The philosopher kings (and, as we find out in book V, queens), who are lovers of wisdom, will rule, and they will be aided in this by the auxiliaries, who love honor above all else. Finally, the moneymakers will consent willingly to be ruled. This resembles most closely an aristocratic government; recall that in Greek, "aristos" simply meant "excellent." Thus, this is a government where the excellent rule.

In book VIII, Plato talks about degenerate governments. This is very interesting and often overlooked in discussions of Plato's political philosophy. After an aristocracy, the next best government, according to Plato, is a timocracy. This is not a good government, though—it's just better than what follows it. In a timocracy, love of wisdom becomes subordinate to love of honor (time in Greek), and it is the warrior auxiliaries who rule, not the philosophers. After a timocracy comes an oligarchy, where only a few (oligos) rich people rule. This happens because people confuse honor with wealth and begin to value wealth above all else. The oligarchy creates such income inequalities and weakens the state so much that it then catches the "virus" of democracy, which, for Plato, is the second worst government. He argues that this is a state with no structure, no laws, and complete anarchy. A democracy, he argues, leads way to the worst government of all: rule by a single tyrant or dictator.

What did Plato think about government?

Plato believed in justice as the ultimate foundation of life, particularly for government. It was through the pursuit of justice that he believed all of the many and different groups present in his Ancient Grecian society could find harmony. He believed that this social harmony was the most important value for his people, and therefore the ultimate goal of government.

Though hailing from Athens (the birthplace of democracy), Plato did not believe in democracy. He explains in Republic that he fears democracy to be too susceptible to anarchy or tyranny and that inept individuals being permitted to take public office would lead to unjust pursuits of the government.

He believed that the city-state should be ruled over by philosopher-kings; these kings would be wise and just, and their power would be absolute, but never tyrannical. Plato believed that these philosopher-kings would be above the base corruption and greed in the average person; he also did not want them to have wealth or luxury so as to limit the potential for corruption.

In his next work, Laws, Plato suggests replacing these philosopher-kings with a set of equally as virtuous and refined laws to rule the society. The goal of these laws is the same as with the philosopher-kings; harmony as the ultimate ideal between all factions of people—with justice leading the way there.

Despite not being a supporter of democracy, Plato believed absolutely in freedom for the people. He did not believe in slavery (which was prevalent at the time). The only limit he would put on that freedom was action that disturbed the harmony or encroached on the freedom of others (not unlike the role of law in our modern society).