Socrates Ideal Society Analysis

According to Socrates, Guardians are to be the leaders, lawmakers and the rulers. They are to be the courageous, temperate, holy and free individuals who rule over the producers and auxiliaries. However, Socrates’ proposes that they are sheltered from the injustice, unpleasant or just deemed “bad” actions of the world. He feels that the youth who will grow up to be guardians are overly impressible and censorship will help them only absorb the good and righteous stories. However, censorship of actions from our leaders doesn’t make them good leaders at all. A leader needs to see both sides of the story, to have emotion and composure all in one. If we shield our future leaders from pain, sorrow, anger, lust or pleasure in their youth, how will …show more content…

We cannot rid the world of bad people so those destined to be guardians never come in contact with them. People are imperfect and will always do something that may not be justified or pleasant. Preventing the guardians from never meeting or seeing someone with sorrow, pain or anger, is impractical because the world works in mysterious ways and someone is always hurting. Another impractical aspect is that idea that good and bad are related. It is hard to distinguish goodness from bad if you do not know both. If the guardians only know and understand things taught to them as good or pleasant, they cannot understand the lamentations or frustration of the people the rule …show more content…

Here, Socrates puts a barrier on the expression of the people; one of many. He wants the storytellers to only spit out positive things and that good people are the happiest, so the Guardians only know goodness. He also limits their imitation narration, to just a monotone one presentation, so as to not imitation another’s distained profession or actions. This will teach the Guardians to only have one trade that they are good at. Furthermore on the topic of art, Socrates simplified harmonies and rhythms into two, the Dorian and the Phrygian, which do not express sorrow, lamentation or drinking tones. Then they strike down the instruments only to the harp and lyre, with pipes in the country. After art works are only to include the image of good in their works, and those opposed with be casted out of the State. This simplifies much of the people’s rights and expression. They are now only to listen to type of show, tune or see one type of art. It takes away individualism from the people and subjects them to the strict rules. The Guardians are to be beacon of freedom for the people and to be leaders. These leaders who do not know expression would be forcing their people into a strict mold, thus confining them to a perfect structure. People are not perfect and censoring people will not help the