Final answer:
It is false that Plato would have supported modern democracy; he favored a merit-based aristocracy led by philosopher-kings and was critical of democracy's tendencies to follow the majority without proper wisdom or virtue.
Step-by-step explanation:
The assertion that Plato would have supported what we call democracy because of his emphasis on balance and the pyramid is false. Plato favored an aristocracy, which to him meant the rule of the best or most virtuous citizens, not the modern interpretation relating to a class of hereditary privilege.
He was critical of democracy because he saw it as government by the unqualified masses who could be swayed by emotions and ignorance, especially in light of the fact that this form of government led to the death of Socrates.
Instead, he proposed a system where philosopher-kings, those with the highest knowledge and virtue, would guide society toward true justice and the common good. Aristotle, Plato's student, shared some of these reservations about democracy, fearing that it could ignore the interests of the whole community in favor of majority rule.