--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Our object in the construction of the…" description: "\"Our object in the construction of the state is the greatest happiness of the whole, and not that of any one class.\" — Plato" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53f/plato-103_class_our-object-in-the-construction-of-the-st_2811047.jpg" --- # Our object in the construction of the state is the… ![“Our object in the construction of the state is the greatest happiness of the whole, and not that of any one class.” quote by Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53f/plato-103_class_our-object-in-the-construction-of-the-st_2811047.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53f/plato-103_class_our-object-in-the-construction-of-the-st_2811047.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53f/plato-103_class_our-object-in-the-construction-of-the-st_2811047.jpg) > “Our object in the construction of the state is the greatest happiness of the whole, and not that of any one class.” [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The state's purpose is the greatest happiness for all, not just a single class. **In simple terms:** State should serve everyone’s happiness. Key Takeaway Prioritize common welfare in governance. Themes political philosophy ethics social justice Mood idealistic thoughtful Type theoretical normative When to use this quote - policy making - community projects - social reforms Key Concepts utilitarianism collectivism public good Questions to Reflect On - How can policies balance individual and collective happiness? - What limits arise in pursuing universal happiness? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Construction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/construction/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ## Related quotes > [“The good news is that we can sometimes control the “circles” around us, moving toward smaller circles that boost our relative happiness. 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Texans - and women all over the country - deserve leaders that care, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-davis/texas-really-is-the-greatest-state-in-the-greatest-nation-texans-and/) [Wendy Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-davis/) > [John Smith from Oklahoma State was the greatest American wrestler of all time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-burroughs/john-smith-from-oklahoma-state-was-the-greatest-american-wrestler-of/) [Jordan Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-burroughs/) > [Man’s holiness is now his greatest happiness, and in heaven man’s greatest happiness will be his perfect holiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/man-s-holiness-is-now-his-greatest-happiness-and-in-heaven-man-s/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [“The greatest happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or moreover, loved in spite of ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-greatest-happiness-in-life-is-the-conviction-that-we-are-loved/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“That is the most basic law of the Universe—cause and effect. If our actions are the result of our intentions to do good, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wu-wei/that-is-the-most-basic-law-of-the-universe-cause-and-effect-if-our/) [Wu Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wu-wei/) > [Meditation is the direct means of enjoying the greatest happiness and is the only means to quench the thirst for happiness on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/meditation-is-the-direct-means-of-enjoying-the-greatest-happiness-and/) [Maharishi Mahesh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maharishi-mahesh-yogi/) > [ The greatest happiness \[...\] is to sneeze when you want to. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-happiness-is-to-sneeze-when-you-want-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The greatest happiness in the world is to make others happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-burbank/the-greatest-happiness-in-the-world-is-to-make-others-happy/) [Luther Burbank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-burbank/) > [The greatest happiness we can give to a mate comes from helping him or her to more understanding of Truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lester-levenson/the-greatest-happiness-we-can-give-to-a-mate-comes-from-helping-him/) [Lester Levenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lester-levenson/) > [The persons born with a talent they are meant to use will find their greatest happiness in using it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-persons-born-with-a-talent-they-are-meant-to-use-will-find-their/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The greatest happiness for the thinking person is to have explored the explorable and to venerate in equanimity that which cannotbe explored.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-greatest-happiness-for-the-thinking-person-is-to-have-explored/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“The greatest happiness of life is that we are loved; loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/the-greatest-happiness-of-life-is-that-we-are-loved-loved-for/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [Truths of life¦ The most beautiful day: Today The easiest thing: Equivocate The biggest obstacle: Fear The gravest error: give up, to despair The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/truths-of-life-the-most-beautiful-day-today-the-easiest-thing/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Plato > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [You may be sure, dear Crito, that inaccurate language is not only in itself a mistake: it implants evil in men's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/you-may-be-sure-dear-crito-that-inaccurate-language-is-not-only-in/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“If men learn this, it will implant forgetfulness in their souls; they will cease to exercise memory because they rely on that which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/if-men-learn-this-it-will-implant-forgetfulness-in-their-souls-they/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Knowledge which is acquired under compulsion obtains no hold on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/knowledge-which-is-acquired-under-compulsion-obtains-no-hold-on-the/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [I do not think it is permitted that a better man be harmed by a worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/i-do-not-think-it-is-permitted-that-a-better-man-be-harmed-by-a-worse/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Any city, however small, is in fact divided into two, one the city of the poor, the other of the rich; these are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/any-city-however-small-is-in-fact-divided-into-two-one-the-city-of/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When men speak ill of thee, live so as nobody may believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-as-nobody-may-believe-them/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“The love of man to woman is a thing common and of course, and at first partakes more of instinct and passion than of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-love-of-man-to-woman-is-a-thing-common-and-of-course-and-at-first/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Strange times are these in which we live when old and young are taught in falsehood's school, and the one man that dares to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/strange-times-are-these-in-which-we-live-when-old-and-young-are/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“He was a wise man who invented God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/he-was-a-wise-man-who-invented-god/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [For let me tell you, that the more the pleasures of the body fade away, the greater to me is the pleasure and charm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/for-let-me-tell-you-that-the-more-the-pleasures-of-the-body-fade-away/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“What shall we say about those spectators, then, who can see a plurality of beautiful things, but not beauty itself, and who are incapable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/what-shall-we-say-about-those-spectators-then-who-can-see-a-plurality/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Geometry existed before creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/geometry-existed-before-creation/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [When men speak ill of thee, live so that nobody will believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-men-speak-ill-of-thee-live-so-that-nobody-will-believe-them/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [We must, if we are to be consistent, and if we re to have a real pedigree herd, mate the best of our men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/we-must-if-we-are-to-be-consistent-and-if-we-re-to-have-a-real/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) [Explore all 1,278 Plato quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) ## More Class quotes > [Where I grew up, learning was a collective activity. But when I got to school and tried to share learning with other students that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/where-i-grew-up-learning-was-a-collective-activity-but-when-i-got-to/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [If I had to guess and put a name on it, I'd say that at some point, the drug war was as much a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-simon/if-i-had-to-guess-and-put-a-name-on-it-i-d-say-that-at-some-point-the/) [David Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-simon/) > [I grew up in the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-scaramucci/i-grew-up-in-the-middle-class/) [Anthony Scaramucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-scaramucci/) > [It must be assumed and established as a principle, that the right of private property must be regarded as sacred. Wherefore, the law ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-xiii/it-must-be-assumed-and-established-as-a-principle-that-the-right-of/) [Pope Leo XIII](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-xiii/) > [The rich people are apparently leaving America. They're giving up their citizenship. These great lovers of America who made their money in this country-when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-rich-people-are-apparently-leaving-america-they-re-giving-up/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. 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It doesn't mean that race doesn't matter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/right-now-for-many-americans-class-is-being-foregrounded-like-never/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [But I don't think the Democratic Party is at eye level with the middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-i-don-t-think-the-democratic-party-is-at-eye-level-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not a dancer. Never took a dance class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrishell-stause/i-m-not-a-dancer-never-took-a-dance-class/) [Chrishell Stause](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrishell-stause/) > [Most startups are not just built for the person who is using them. When you do that, every now and then you get really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/most-startups-are-not-just-built-for-the-person-who-is-using-them/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [The structure of the Swiss ruling class is rock-hard, and unchanged since the time of Napoleon. They sit on their mountains and lecture the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-ziegler/the-structure-of-the-swiss-ruling-class-is-rock-hard-and-unchanged/) [Jean Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-ziegler/) > [We are not going back to the failed policies of the past. We are fighting for the middle class!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-pelosi/we-are-not-going-back-to-the-failed-policies-of-the-past-we-are/) [Nancy Pelosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-pelosi/) [Browse all 7,637 Class quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Our object in the construction of the state is the greatest happiness of the whole, and not that of any one class.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Plato" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/our-object-in-the-construction-of-the-state-is-the-greatest-happiness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Class" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/our-object-in-the-construction-of-the-state-is-the-greatest-happiness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53f/plato-103_class_our-object-in-the-construction-of-the-st_2811047.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53f/plato-103_class_our-object-in-the-construction-of-the-st_2811047.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53f/plato-103_class_our-object-in-the-construction-of-the-st_2811047.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Our object in the construction of the state is the greatest happiness of the whole, and not that of any one…” — Plato", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Plato", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Our object in the construction of...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/our-object-in-the-construction-of-the-state-is-the-greatest-happiness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/our-object-in-the-construction-of-the-state-is-the-greatest-happiness/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```