Plato originally states that it is necessary for an ideal society to censor its poetry and school textbooks. However, he later changes his position and calls for a censorship of all texts and forms of artistic expression. The Republic states that in order to be a good society, the society must be made up of good citizens. Good citizens are the result of a well-rounded education where children are exposed to good material and shielded from bad material (Republic, 386a). This censorship also applies to art in that the state should only allow good art and suppress bad art (Republic, 401b). Through this logic, he believes that good societies therefore are obligated to educate their citizens and only allow for the publication and presentation of
