Sep 19, 2016 carlos plato summary plato was a man from ancient greece, who was against athenian democracy. Summary socrates continues his indirect description of the good with his allegory of the cave. Instead, democracy suffers from the failures of the aforementioned systems insofar as it prioritizes wealth and property accumulation as the highest good. You desired to know what is that disorder which is generated alike in oligarchy and democracy, and is the ruin of both. They are aristocracy, timocracy, oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny.
Also, a discussion of aristocracy, timocracy, oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny. After summarizing their decisions and the description of the city, socrates returns to his statement that the method used in the governing of this city is good, while there are four others worth discussing that are not good. Being a treasury of thousands of glorious, inspiring and imperishable thoughts, views and observations of the three great greek philosophers, classified under about four hundred subjects for comparative study. All were attributed to plato, which laid the framework for western philosophy as we know it.
The republic book viii summary and analysis gradesaver. Summary and analysis of book 8 of plato s republic. It aims to debate and conclusively determine the meaning of justice. In book 8 of the republic, plato describes how a democracy is unlikely to be a stable political solution, since it offers freedom but neglects the demands of proper statecraft. A radical view from book 8 of platos republic arlene w. Res publica was written in 380 bc and this version was translated by benjamin jowett in 1871. The discourse begins with socrates heralding their need to backtrack a little. Now in book viii socrates returns to his examples of unjust societies and unjust men. Our story begins as socrates and his friend glaucon head home from a festival. In the republic plato lays out there base forms of government. He founded the academy in athens, written dialogue, political philosophy, epistemology, the concept of religion, and many other crucial elements of thought. His description of democracys singleminded pursuit of freedom at the expense of other goods, and of the sort of men who.
Even platosoc describes democracy as a divine and pleasant lifeonly with the crucial qualifier, while it. Four regimes that are corruptions of an aristocracy. Now that the true state and true human have been clearly illustrated, the philosophers can revive the thread introduced earlier in the dialogue. Carlos plato summary plato was a man from ancient greece, who was against athenian democracy. Oct 14, 2015 summary and analysis of book 8 of plato s republic. He then goes on to describe a mixedform which we can call a kallipolis beautiful city or ideal polity, his ideal mixedrepublic. Plato s point is that, once a given state or a given man begins to decline morally, his fall will become somehow inexorable, the plummet to ruin inevitable. Democracy and democracy in plato and platos athenian. Platos critique of democracy is that democracy does not place a premium on wisdom and knowledge seeking as an inherent good, much like timocracy and oligarchy. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Plato sees the conditions socrates describes as being symptomatic of the decline and fall of governments and men.
Now in book viii socrates returns to his examples of unjust societies and unjust. Ready to call it a night, theyre intercepted by a whole gang of their acquaintances, who eventually convince them to come hang out at polemarchuss house and have a nice, long chat. The tyrannical man would represent tyranny, for example. Democracy is often referred to as the rule of the many, but aristotle called this definition incomplete. Mar 22, 2017 platos critique of democracy is that democracy does not place a premium on wisdom and knowledge seeking as an inherent good, much like timocracy and oligarchy. From plato on democracy, part ii, and how democracy leads to tyranny republic bk viii, plato says how the demos werent smart enough to make correct decisions, and that democracy was one of the worst ways of government. This long psychological portrait is saved for the next book. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the republic and what it means. The best books on plato five books expert recommendations. The four regimes socrates now names are the cretan or spartan regime, oligarchy, democracy, and. Plato predicts a society with an enormous socioeconomic gap, where the poor remain poor and the rich become richer off the blood and sweat of others. Is it, then, in a sense, in the same way in which democracy arises out of oligarchy that tyranny arises from democracy. The republic by plato, part of the internet classics archive. Platos point is that, once a given state or a given man begins to decline morally, his fall will become somehow inexorable, the plummet to ruin inevitable.
Whats fascinating is his awareness of the very complex dynamic between love of money and love of honour. Plato discusses five regimes five forms of government in his republic, book viii. Plato alludes to the fact that 216 is equal to 63, where 6 is one of the numbers representing marriage since it is the product to the female 2 and the male 3. We went over platos account of the degeneration of the city in book 8. In a democracy, he argues, those who are expert at winning elections and nothing else will eventually dominate. Saxonhouse university of michigan a plato opposed to democracy fills the literature, and while some scholars question whether plato adequately captures socrates possibly favorable views of democracy, plato himself remains a. During platos life, athens was briefly controlled by an oligarchy, which rapidly decayed into a democracy, which executed socrates. It is a fiction book in the format of a discussion between socrates and others. The greek theory of cycles, with its endless, monotonous iteration, excluded the possibility of permanent advance or progress.
At the beginning of book 8 socrates summarizes the main features of the perfect state, and glaucon recalls socrates had previously promised the company to discuss the four principal forms of defective, or lessthanperfect, states. I argue that platos response to democracy is far more theoretically interesting than simple disdain for the unenlightened masses. Plato republic, book vi argues that democracy is inferior to various forms of monarchy, aristocracy and even oligarchy on the grounds that democracy tends to undermine the expertise necessary to properly governed societies. According to plato, what are the weaknesses of a democracy what do you think of platos argument essay example. Claims of equality necessarily entail claims of inequality, of who is not equal. Liberty, i replied, for you may hear it said that this is best managed in a democratic city, and for this reason that is the only city in which a man of free spirit will care. Plato believes democracy leads to unequipped leaders who hold offices and power without the necessary traits and preparation. Socrates argues that there are four main types of unjust states. Plato could hardly be expected to forgive them that deed.
A radical view from book 8 of plato s republic arlene w. We explain platos theory as it pertains to democracy and tyranny. Platos republic, book viii book viii starts with a useful summary of the republic socrates has envisioned. The main issue plato has with democracy, as outlined. Plato is among the most renowned ancient greek philosophers who made a significant contribution towards intellectual and historical works of political theory and philosophy. Democracy, equality, and eide in plato republics june 1998 democracy in its openness in book 8 lacks this capacity for adding and for discriminating and thus lays out the tensions and dangers inherent in regimes founded on formlessness and on principles of equality. Rather, in book 8 of the republic he explores the fundamental tensions of a regime identified with freedom and equality, which he presents as characterized by formlessness, and the epistemological and theoretical.
The internet classics archive the republic by plato. In the cave, men live shackled to the wall, only capable. His description of democracy s singleminded pursuit of freedom at the expense of other goods, and of the sort of men who. During plato s life, athens was briefly controlled by an oligarchy, which rapidly decayed into a democracy, which executed socrates. Rule by the powerfulwealthy few usually rich and a credit driven society.
Plato republic, book eight introduction this present philosophy essay is based on the arguments that were presented by plato, in his socratic dialogue that was titled the republic. Aug 17, 2009 plato s republic, book viii book viii starts with a useful summary of the republic socrates has envisioned. Saxonhouse university of michigan a plato opposed to democracy fills the literature, and while some scholars question whether plato adequately captures socrates possibly favorable views of democracy, plato himself remains a paragon of elitism. Plato therefore predicts an almost certain collapse of democracy and decline into tyranny, a total loss of freedom. Platos theory of degradation set forth a gradual deterioration through the successive stages of timocracy, oligarchy, democracy and despotism. I described the highlights of the intervening chapters, especially the cave. In book viii of the republic, plato begins to describe several stages of government that are intolerable, yet unavoidable. Plato also assigns a man to each of these regimes to illustrate what they stand for. Plato was the most famous of the greek philosophers, aside from his teacher socrates. I argue that plato s response to democracy is far more theoretically interesting than simple disdain for the unenlightened masses. How democracy leads to tyranny from platos republic fact. This video summarizes platos 5 types of government or regimes as outlined in the republic.
They are timocracy rule for the sake of honor, oligarchy rule of the few. Is it, then, in a sense, in the same way in which democracy arises out of oligarchy that. Plato s critique of democracy is insightful and thoughtprovoking. Democracy inevitably fails because it is predicated not on merit but on popularity. In book 8 socrates discusses these forms, or political constitutions, in turn. Dec 30, 2019 plato quotes on democracy, the republic and life. That it is an outgrowth of democracy is fairly plain. And then in connection with this 545c we will consider the man of that type, and thereafter oligarchy and the oligarch, and again, fixing our eyes on democracy.
That being said, he wasnt against democracy as we conceptualize it. In his book politics, he explained that in a city if the majorities are aristocrats and if they have political authority, then it is an aristocracy not a democracy. Plato on democracy, tyranny, and the ideal state psychology. Degeneration and democracy in book viii of platos republic. They are timocracy rule for the sake of honor, oligarchy rule of the few, democracy majority rule of the people, and tyranny rule by a despot. Platos critique of democracy is insightful and thoughtprovoking. Power, plato would agree, corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Plato realized why democracy failed even in ideal conditions, such as the direct democracy of ancient athens.
Plato on democracy, part ii, and how democracy leads to tyranny republic bk viii come then, tell me, dear friend, how tyranny arises. Platos critique of democracy and contemporary politics. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything. Plato quotes on democracy, the republic and life 2019.
The four regimes socrates now names are the cretan or spartan regime, oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny. In a later book, the statesman, plato contends that there are three forms of government other than true government. The central flaw in democracy, in his view, is an uncontrolled desire for freedom, which evolves into anarchy, thus leading to tyranny an attempt to control the anarchy. Plato does not mean here that his are the only types, or that each state would. It is this extreme, radical, unreasoning democracy that plato satirizes in the eighth book of the republic and in the gorgias. In the protagoras, socrates is a guest at the home of callias, son of hipponicus, a man whom socrates disparages in the apology as having wasted a great amount of money on sophists fees.
Philosopher plato discusses five types of regimes republic, book viii. Book 8 picks up the argument from where the characters left off in book 4. Socrates ends book viii without giving us the portrait of the corresponding man. But in a democracy this is the dominating class, with rare exceptions, and the fiercest part. The first and greatest victory is to conquer yourself. Platos critique of democracy is highly ironic at first. Plato and the disaster of democracy classical wisdom weekly. Platos republic, book 8 plato realized why democracy failed even in ideal conditions, such as the direct democracy of ancient athens. Plato here establishes the pattern the rest of this book will follow.
Plato s support of aristocracy and distrust of democracy is also taken to be partly rooted in a democracy having killed socrates. In this plato book he describes how the ideal constitution might decay into a regime focused on honour like sparta was at the time or into an oligarchy, or a democracy, or a tyranny. Jan 24, 2017 in his republic, plato examines how democracy can lead to tyranny in a republic. It is understandable why plato would despise democracy, considering that his friend and mentor, socrates, was condemned to death by the policy makers of athens in 399 bce. Book 8 traditionally stands as the book that traces the decline of regimes, but attention to that aspect has led scholars to ignore the equally strong focus that plato places on typology, on the five forms eide of regimes and their human counterparts.
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