Abstract: Mass culture is regarded as a special production of modern industrial society;however,as a continuous configuration of western civilization,it has its own root which can be found in Plato’s works.Not only aimed at its outcome principles,but also at the special form that art presented during a certain period of time,i. e. popularization,Plato gave his criticisms to art,pointing out its various harms.This popularization,though not produced in the industrial society,can be regarded as a primitive form of it.Plato’s criticism is the first sign of today’s criticism to mass culture,from which a historical dimensionality of mass culture can be achieved.

Key words: Plato, art, mass