Democracy in the Republic In Plato's Republic democracy made a controversial issue in a critique by Socrates. The theory of the soul accounts for the controversy as it states that the soul is divided into three parts: the rational, the spirited, and the appetite which are ranked respectively. The idea of the soul's three parts and the soul being ruled by a dominant part is used as the basis for identifying justice and virtue. However, the theory of the soul is not only used to identify justice and virtue, but also used to show that the virtue within a city reflects that of its inhabitants. Socrates evaluates four city constitutions that evolve from aristocracy: timocracy, oligarchy, democracy and tyranny. As a result that these four …show more content…
Individuals within a timocracy are ruled by the spirited part of the soul and as a result are constantly in search of honor. The spirited part of the soul aides the rational and therefore is valued as the second best part of the soul. The principle of specialization is still apparent among the individuals within the timocratic city but it is not governed as well as an aristocracy. Oligarchy is valued above a democracy although they are both ruled by the appetite of the soul. Those within an oligarchy pursue necessary appetites whereas democratic individuals pursue unnecessary appetites. Rulers are present within an oligarchy, but they are acquired based on the wealth of the individual, appetites are kept in tact within an oligarchy through frugality. The wealth an oligarchic individual acquires is not squandered on their desires. Only as a result that constitutions do not last forever do these other forms of constitutions and individuals actually …show more content…
respond to a situation experienced by other people in theory. However, it is only until that individual either experiences first-hand what is experienced by others or receives input to relate to that which is experienced by others will they truly know to best respond to that situation, empathy is cultivated by relation and experience. Until then, that individual with all of that ?acquired knowledge? can only speculate what the best course of action is, people should not be ruled by speculation. A ruler should either live the life of those that they rule, as an equal, or as a superior allow the necessary input of those whom they rule, to decide the best course of action, as is done in a
There are three classes in the state and three parts of the mind in the ruler. The three classes of the state are the rulers, the soldiers, and the craftsmen. The three parts of the mind are the rational or reason part, the irrational appetitive part, and the spirited part. The rational corresponds to the rulers, the appetitive corresponds to the craftsmen, and the spirited corresponds to the soldiers. Socrates then explains how the four virtues, wisdom, courage, moderation/self-control, and justice play the same roles in a person as in a state.
In his philosophical text, The Republic, Plato argues that justice can only be realized by the moderation of the soul, which he claims reflects as the moderation of the city. He engages in a debate, via the persona of Socrates, with Ademantus and Gaucon on the benefit, or lack thereof, for the man who leads a just life. I shall argue that this analogy reflecting the governing of forces in the soul and in city serves as a sufficient device in proving that justice is beneficial to those who believe in, and practice it. I shall further argue that Plato establishes that the metaphorical bridge between the city and soul analogy and reality is the leader, and that in the city governed by justice the philosopher is king.
However that was not the only thing that could be seen clearly through this conversation he wrote. Also in bedded in this dialogue was Socrates teachings. Plato expresses Socrates habits of searching “every corner of the city,” to find answers to his unending questions. The Republic allows the reader to see how Plato was able to use his knowledge to extend the discussion of Western Political Thought. As tradition follows, Plato’s student Aristotle also learned and developed what his tutor taught him. Aristotle was the third of the most infamous philosophers who _____. His ideas were captured in a collection of essays titled Politics. However, this time he would even question the original Greek belief that Democracy was the best way to govern correctly and fairly. Just as Plato believed Aristotle knew that tyranny ruled through, “private interest” as he
A longstanding debate in human history is what to do with power and what is the best way to rule. Who should have power, how should one rule, and what its purpose should government serve have always been questions at the fore in civilization, and more than once have sparked controversy and conflict. The essential elements of rule have placed the human need for order and structure against the human desire for freedom, and compromising between the two has never been easy. It is a question that is still considered and argued to this day. However, the argument has not rested solely with military powers or politicians, but philosophers as well. Two prominent voices in this debate are Plato and Machiavelli, both of whom had very different ideas of government's role in the lives of its people. For Plato, the essential service of government is to allow its citizens to live in their proper places and to do the things that they are best at. In short, Plato's government reinforces the need for order while giving the illusion of freedom. On the other hand, Machiavelli proposes that government's primary concern is to remain intact, thereby preserving stability for the people who live under it. The feature that both philosophers share is that they attempt to compromise between stability and freedom, and in the process admit that neither can be totally had.
A democracy in Plato’s Republic is viewed as one of the lowest types of regimes a city could have because it can be the one that fails the easiest. There are five total regimes that Plato ranks having to do with how successful they can be. The best being a Aristocracy, then Timocracy, Oligarchy, Democracy and the worst being Tyranny. Each type of regime that fails degenerates into a worse regime. For example, if a Democracy fails then it later becomes a Tyranny.
An authoritarian government is ruled by the few, where there is hardly any freedom or mobility. The construction of an authoritarian political hierarchy begins with trying to figure out the meaning of justice. Plato’s Republic is a defense of authoritarian political hierarchy. Socrates portrays the concept of an ideal city with the notion of making it into an authoritarian government. He creates the guardians, auxiliaries and the craftsmen, each group having a different type of metal to define them. In this paper I will argue that, Plato’s Republic is a defense of authoritarian political hierarchy because he incorporates the idea of a strict central government within a city. Three ways this is shown in The Republic are with the ideas of, the
With a history of abuse of so the called, “untouchables” it should come as no surprise that when Socrates offers a caste system that questions of freedom and human rights come to the fore front. Socrates explains the false origins saying, “But when god made you, he used a mixture of gold in the creation of those of you who were fit to be rulers … He used silver for those who were to be auxiliaries, and iron and bronze for the farmers and the rest of the skilled workers” (pg. 108 415a). Socrates has built this, what he calls a noble lie, to convince the people of predestination, however; it is not clear whether Socrates believes this claim, or if he just uses is as a vessel to control the population so they may become perfect. What is clear is that this system is impossible. No one is specifically designed for a single purpose, or a specific skill. As well as the idea that people will lie down and do whatever they are told by the law. This lie will come crashing down on Socrates and his perfect city. While explaining the lifestyle of the guardians Socrates explains how people will live in his city, stating, “… no one is to have any private property beyond what is absolutely essential” (pg. 110 416d). This limitation of wealth and status may seem to be just, however; the limitation of one’s personal freedom jeopardizes of the people. Thus, the city becomes unfair to its people. The role of government should be to help its people, and by limiting its people, it loses sight of its role. Socrates continues explaining the life of the guardians and its people saying, “… they should impose a levy on the rest of the citizens, and receive and annual payment for their role as guardians which leaves them with neither a surplus nor a deficiency” (pg. 110 416e). This further limits the freedoms of the population, without funds to purchase an excess of goods,
In Plato' "ideal" model of a city; he chose an aristocratic form of government, describing it as the rule of the most strong, wise and intelligent. In his system people are robbed of their basic rights to live as a primitive human being. People had no right to choose what they want to be after they are born; their occupation is chosen for them by the "philosopher king." He chooses one's job after assessing one's talent in a variety of areas. ...
...imed at a common goal. In Aristotle’s view, he presents a system of laws that also changes when you change the polis. Citizens are entitled to participate in the management and administration of the city, its functions are politics and combat arms when necessary. Most of the people of an modern society might think that the city of Aristotle can be more ideal, since we can compare it to the American dream, where everyone can become what ever they one if they get the right education and work hard. This said, Socrates could say that it is unrealistic since not everyone can rule in any city not even now days. It is very important to mention that the issues that both philosophers present are very present in today’s society, even if the amount of inequality proposed in both cities can be shocking for us, it is hard to accept that it does exist in todays modern politics.
Plato had divided different variations of ruling into four corrupt souls. Timarchic men want to have honor and victory but end up getting caught up striving for wealth. An oligarchic man just uses wealth and power to over see the city using all means necessary to continue his happiness. The democratic man see's everything as equal and is ok with living with equal desires. Democracy, a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives." Finally the tyrannical man who uses his in just lifestyle to crash and burn the city he's ruling into the ground. These are all the men discussed through out the Republic written by Plato (Plato, ppt7).
In the Republic, by C.D.C. Reeve Socrates is trying to answer the question is justice greater than injustice. In order to provide an accurate answer, he must look at an ideal city. Socrates describes what would make an ideal city and how to make it just. Socrates believes that in order to have an ideal city, any stories that contain falsehood need to be thrown out because children are not capable of distinguishing the truth from the lie, can cause hatred, and ultimately lead to chaos in the city.
The subject matter of the “Republic” is the nature of justice and its relation to human existence. Book I of the “republic” contains a critical examination of the nature and virtue of justice. Socrates engages in a dialectic with Thrasymachus, Polemarchus, and Cephalus, a method which leads to the asking and answering of questions which directs to a logical refutation and thus leading to a convincing argument of the true nature of justice. And that is the main function of Book I, to clear the ground of mistaken or inadequate accounts of justice in order to make room for the new theory. Socrates attempts to show that certain beliefs and attitudes of justice and its nature are inadequate or inconsistent, and present a way in which those views about justice are to be overcome.
In book VIII, we see Plato, through Socrates, trying to rationalize democracy and how governmental structures eventually corrode over time. I also see Socrates wrestling with the same problem that modern America wrestles with and that is of personal freedom versus equality for all. Are my own freedoms worth giving up in order to secure equality for the city as a whole? I also see Socrates drawing on ideas that resemble that of capitalism or of a proto-capitalistic society. As society in the city, “degrades”, it increasingly has the tendencies and characteristics of capitalism. There are movements within the city to move away from old ideas of virtue and wisdom to ones of more humanly desires, mainly private property and wealth. Both of which
In Plato’s The Republic, the primary focus for a significant portion of the text is establishing the ideal state in order to determine the nature of justice and virtue. In doing so, Socrates, who is the primary speaker in the text, determines several requirements for the existence of the ideal state. The third requirement according to Socrates is that philosophers must rule as kings (or kings must adequately philosophize). Until this occurs, “cities will have no rest from evils” (473d). However, there is some objection, or anticipated objection, to Socrates’ requirement. Adeimantus, one of Socrates interlocutors in The Republic, raises the objection that those who actively philosophize into adulthood are made up of a great number of cranks and,
The Republic is an examination of the "Good Life"; the harmony reached by applying pure reason and justice. The ideas and arguments of Plato center on the social settings of an ideal republic - those that lead each person to the most perfect possible life for him. Socrates was Plato's early mentor in real life. As a tribute to his teacher, Plato uses Socrates in several of his works and dialogues. Socrates moderates the discussion throughout, as Plato's mouthpiece. Through Socrates' powerful and brilliant questions and explanations on a series of topics, the reader comes to understand what Plato's model society would look like. The basic plan of the Republic is to draw an analogy between the operation of society as a whole and the life of any individual human being. In this paper I will present Plato’s argument that the soul is divides into three parts. I will examine what these parts are, and I will also explain his arguments behind this conclusion. Finally, I will describe how Plato relates the three parts of the soul to a city the different social classes within that city.