https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_de_Maistre
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_fools#:~:text=The%20ship%20of%20fools%20(Modern,not%20based%20on%20expert%20knowledge.
First, the "Ship of Fools" is not the same as the analogy of the "Ship of State" presented by Plato in the Dialogue "The Republic". Plato describes general problems of choosing the appropriate pilot for a ship, in comparison to choosing the appropriate politicians for the state, but he does not describe various types of fools as the descriptions of the "Ship of Fools" usually do. The "Ship of Fools" and Plato's analogy have a completely different setting and meaning.
Secondly, the known quote from Joseph de Maistre cannot be derived from Plato's analogy. It certainly is not "almost similarly quoted" there. The meaning of Plato's analogy is completely different to what de Maistre says with this sentence.
Plato's analogy of the Ship of State:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_State
https://www.researchgate.net/post/Almost_2500_years_ago_Plato_quoted_that_in_republican_elections_since_most_of_voters_were_common_so_they_elected_the_most_common_one_as_leader
Joseph de Maistre's quote and Plato’s Ship of Fools both argue that the quality of governance reflects the moral and intellectual state of the populace; when citizens are disengaged, ignorant, or selfish, unworthy leaders emerge, highlighting the ethical responsibility of the governed.
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