Assignment: How does Plato view the human condition?
Before answering the question directly, it is necessary to first describe the key term in the question just as Socrates or Plato would.
The human condition can be described as all of the parts of existence that help distinguish the human being as unique from other species.
Given this definition of the human condition, Plato would have viewed the human condition as being inherently set up for failure. This is shown in the Republic as much of the book describes rules to govern humans in an ideal society. If Plato already had a positive view of the human condition, he wouldn't have written out guidelines to correct the mistakes. Rules are created for those who break them. In creating rules to live by Plato is anticipating challenge to his ideal way of living and therefore he is also anticipating that some humans will break the rules.
However, just because Plato thinks humans might break the rules doesn't directly imply he considers the human condition as being set up for failure. If humans break rules there must be reason for them to do so. Here Plato would point out the temptations in life that are especially apparent when describing the qualifications of the guardians or ruling class. According to Plato, the guardians cannot be corrupted in the slightest. This means they can't have wives, wealth or property. To Plato, these temptations only bring trouble and will eventually tear the society apart. If temptations are considered part of the guardians' trial then they are also considered to be part of all humans, since guardians are humans and all humans experience corruption too. This means that the human condition, according to Plato, must include certain challenges, or temptations thereby making it imperfect and inherently set up for failure.
You can see that Marx took a lot of inspiration fro Plato; Plato hoped that, like Marx, the removal of material temptations will allow individual to achieve self-fulfillment and perfect their own personal condition. But at the same point in time, Plato advocated a master-slave relationship between the Guardians and Auxiliaries over the producers, the "working class", which Marx would counter with Communism. Before we had only really focused on Hegel v. Marx, but it's cool to see all of the philosophies we've learned about coming full circle. Great post!
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