[
371a]
from
whom they procure what they themselves require, he will come back with empty
hands, will he not?” “I think so.”
“Then their home production must not merely suffice for themselves
but in quality and quantity meet the needs of those of whom they have
need.” “It must.” “So our city will
require more farmers and other craftsmen.” “Yes,
more.” “And also of other ministrants who are to export
and import the merchandise. These are traders, are they not? “
“Yes.” “We shall also need traders,
then.” “Assuredly.” “And if the
trading is carried on by sea,
[
371b]
we shall
need quite a number of others who are expert in maritime
business.” “Quite a number.”
“But again, within the city itself how will they
share with one another the products of their labor? This was the very
purpose of our association and establishment of a state.”
“Obviously,” he said, “by buying and
selling.” “A market-place, then, and money as a
token
1 for the purpose of exchange
will be the result of this.”
[
371c]
“By all means.” “If, then, the farmer or any
other craftsman taking his products to the market-place does not arrive at
the same time with those who desire to exchange with him, is he to sit idle
in the market-place and lose time from his own work?”
“By no means,” he said, “but there are men who
see this need and appoint themselves for this service—in
well-conducted cities they are generally those who are weakest
2 in body and those who are useless for any other task. They
must wait there in the agora
[
371d]
and
exchange money for goods with those who wish to sell, and goods for money
with as many as desire to buy.” “This need,
then,” said I, “creates the class of shopkeepers in our
city. Or is not shopkeepers the name we give to those who, planted in the
agora, serve us in buying and selling, while we call those who roam from
city to city merchants?” “Certainly.”
“And there are, furthermore, I believe, other servitors who in the
things of the mind
[
371e]
are not altogether
worthy of our fellowship, but whose strength of body is sufficient for toil;
so they, selling the use of this strength and calling the price wages, are
designated, I believe, wage-earners, are they not?”
“Certainly.” “Wage-earners, then, it seems,
are the complement that helps to fill up the state.”
3“I think
so.” “Has our city, then, Adeimantus, reached its full
growth and is it complete?” “Perhaps.”
“Where, then, can justice and injustice be found in it? And along
with which of the constituents that we have considered does it come into the
state?”