It’s Plato vs. Aristotle.
Plato wanted the Republic to be run by the elites, who were always smarter than the schlubs, with the elites bolstered by an enforcement arm when necessary to keep the schlubs working in the cave while watching the shadows.
Aristotle wanted his political unit to consist of individuals and families, each working in the pursuit of eudemonia (”happiness”), a combination of sufficient health, wealth, beneficial relationships, and the knowledge of how to obtain them. These middle-classers would join themselves together in mutual support, what used to be called a “commonwealth,” and thereby strengthen each other’s lives while allowing for competition to bring out the best in everyone.
It isn’t too much of a leap to go from Plato to Hegel to Marx to Mao to the Democrat Party. And when we say we want to make America great again, what we really mean is that we want to make America Aristotle again—with our morals defined by Moses and Jesus, not by Mohammed and Satan.
You are right. On that level, of ideology, it is Plato vs Aristotle. Good point.