“Good times create weak men who think they know everything”
I would like to ask Plato to take a long look in the mirror. What he’s written there by all accounts seems to be an argument against democracy itself, and it’s not even an accurate one.
First of all, no shit. Plato was against democracy and at one point ended up being sold into slavery when he tutored the tyrant of Syracuse as a psycho-political experiment. His teacher, Socrates, was killed by democracy, and then democratically got a statue of him erected when the people realised what they did (read the trial of Socrates).
Secondly, in this book (VIII) he explains the cycle of political regimes, how oligarchy turns to democracy, and democracy to tyranny (and others but these are relevant). The main purpose of this book is to support his stance that only philospoher-kings are fit to rule justly.
Finally, keep in mind that the republic was written in ~375 BC. The critique of democracy is going to be different as Athenians had different forms of it. Plato and Socrates also lived through the rule of the 30 tyrants, and the reinstitution of democracy. He uses actual historical events in this critique. For example the bit about bodyguards was a reference to Pisistratus and how he became a tyrant. Try to find a short history of Athenian politics, it’s both fascinating and concerning.
Read the parts I’ve copied again, and if you don’t see any parallels with the current state of affairs, read the dialogues. If you still don’t agree, form an actual argument.
“Good times create weak men who think they know everything”
I would like to ask Plato to take a long look in the mirror. What he’s written there by all accounts seems to be an argument against democracy itself, and it’s not even an accurate one.
First of all, no shit. Plato was against democracy and at one point ended up being sold into slavery when he tutored the tyrant of Syracuse as a psycho-political experiment. His teacher, Socrates, was killed by democracy, and then democratically got a statue of him erected when the people realised what they did (read the trial of Socrates).
Secondly, in this book (VIII) he explains the cycle of political regimes, how oligarchy turns to democracy, and democracy to tyranny (and others but these are relevant). The main purpose of this book is to support his stance that only philospoher-kings are fit to rule justly.
Finally, keep in mind that the republic was written in ~375 BC. The critique of democracy is going to be different as Athenians had different forms of it. Plato and Socrates also lived through the rule of the 30 tyrants, and the reinstitution of democracy. He uses actual historical events in this critique. For example the bit about bodyguards was a reference to Pisistratus and how he became a tyrant. Try to find a short history of Athenian politics, it’s both fascinating and concerning.
Read the parts I’ve copied again, and if you don’t see any parallels with the current state of affairs, read the dialogues. If you still don’t agree, form an actual argument.