Plato was one of the first Philosophers to perceive a relationship between the structure of consciousness and the formation of government--government as a social formation into which consciousness is projected. So, a theory of mind having essentially three motivational components--personal appetite, social status, and a "rational" interest in harmony--allows happiness where this rational interest dominates one's choices. He felt we can construct a state in which people who have achieved this in their own lives govern the affairs of the state.

Importantly, he had a selection mechanism using metallic substance as a metaphor, with "gold" as the metaphor for the selection of individuals at an early age to be nurtured as a ruling aristocracy. Among the constraints he felt were essential was the creation of a "society" of peers to reinforce rational motivation as a developmental compass, and the introduction of restrictions on the compensation of such individuals. Plato felt that money corrupts both the individuals as rulers, and the morale of