Plato and Locke's approaches to political society

Plato and John Locke represent diverse views on political society in their respective works, The Republic and The Second Treatise on Government. While Plato creates an ideal society in which individuals surrender their private rights to help the public good, Locke proposes the idea of government as an institution that maximizes private rights.
Locke theorizes that although men have often lived in a state of nature, without government, they are inclined to form societies and governments to supplement the needs and desires that they cannot achieve by themselves. “[W]e are naturally induced to seek communion and fellowship with others; this was the cause of men’s uniting themselves at first in politic societies” (Locke 7). From this, Locke introduces the idea of personal property, the foundation of his society. “The labour of his body and the work of his hands we may say are properly his” (Locke 13). By using his own labor, an individual removes something from the state of nature and makes it rightfully his own private property. Locke believes that the primary reason that men join governments is for the security of their own private property. In exchange for the protection of property from the government, individuals sacrifice some of their natural rights and are obligated to do their part to uphold the society. Individuals are inclined to join society to achieve the things that they cannot provide for themselves, mainly the preservation of private property.
Private property is a critical component to Locke’s ideal society. He does though place limits on the extent to which private property can be had. Locke opposes private property when it is allowed to spoil or when so much is attained that none is left for the common good. Locke creates a government with an eye towards maintaining and expanding the private sphere.
While Locke sees private property as a pivotal asset to maintaining society, Plato discourages privatization. Plato instead founds his ideal society in achieving the higher truth beyond our own reality. He articulates this in his passage describing the journey out of the cave in Book 7. Our soul is a fragile balance between reason and passion, some favoring reason over virtue or vice versa. Oftentimes individuals get caught up in their own passionate, private desires and cease to search for the higher truth. In Plato’s ideal society, individuals overcome their personal desires and work collectively to achieve the greater good.
Locke and Plato have different foundations for their societies. Locke favors private property while Plato focuses on the achievement of the higher truth. Locke minimizes the role of the public, expecting citizens to act with reason and integrity to maintain an effective society. Plato, in contrast to Locke, believes in the expansion of the public sphere under the reign of a just leader, a “philosopher-king”. There are many forms of government (i.e. tyranny) that both Locke and Plato don’t trust to rule their society. While the two authors have different final goals for their societies, they are both approaching society with a righteous mind and good intentions. To achieve these ultimate goals, in turn, the citizens are obligated to society to do their part to maintain a just society.