Plato

Plato

1. Plato - Regarded father of philosophical idealism;
what’s best life, best order of human society
Greek philosopher- Republic, Statesman, Laws, Apology
of Socrates (Gandhi translated this tract into gujarati);
Republic (in Greek meant justice): theme-Justice and its
realisation within the individual and state; written in the
form of dialogue (dialectical method); elaborate scheme
of education;
Statesman – Superiority of rule of law
Laws – mixed constitution best...because it moderates
Republic & Laws tone authoritarian & hierarchical

Life Sketch – students can do...however...in his academy
he admitted women...mathematics & philosophy...

Philosophical influences
Pythagoras – importance of mathematics
Heraclitus – eternal change

2. I. Anti-democrat
Equated democratisation with moral corruption; he
attacked – the incompetence and ignorance of politicians-
political instability; castigated Athens’s democracy for the
defeat in the Peloponnesian war; tried to infuse
communitarian spirit
II. Critic of Sophism
Sophists school – founder of democracy & social change;
stood for relativism, scepticism, individualism &
humanism; rival to Socratic tradition;
III. Knowledge & Opinion
Differentiated intelligible world (Being/Form) and the
world of senses (Becoming/opinion);
Described the working of human mind and the way it
acquired knowledge with the help of allegory of the cave
etc...
IV. Philosopher Ruler
Ideal state
Why? Able to administer justice and act for the good of
the community-because of his qualities...wisdom,
truthfulness, discipline, courage...

3. Plato made a theoretical shift in Laws...end same...means
changed (i.e. with the system of laws)
V. Justice
Morality
Individual & state
VI. 3 Classes: 3 Souls – idea borrowed from Pythagoras-
each soul one predominant...membership not hereditary


Ruling Rational Wisdom
Warrior (Thymos) Spirit Courage
Producing Appetite Temperance/
Rational
Spirit
Appetite
Guardian Class

4. Fondness for
material things

Political society – functioning system: Ruling, defence &
production
VII. Education
Huge attention- to realisation of social order
State controlled, compulsory & comprehensive
Life long process
For perfection & excellence
Influence of nature & nurture
Higher education: only for qualified-Arithmetic
(philosophical +practical utility)-
Gender equality
VIII. Community of Wives & Property – Guardian class
To create meritocratic society –to abolish private family
& property-to avoid nepotism, favouritism, particularism,
factionalism
Gender equality –women to be rulers, legislators

5. Science of Eugenics
IX. 2
nd
best state
2
nd
best state provided in the Laws: government by
laws...minute details; nocturnal council
4 types of regimes: Timocracy, Oligarchy, Democracy,
Tyranny
Political system should reflect economic divisions of
society
Recommended blending of aristocratic nomination &
popular elections for public appointments
Common language, race, religion desirable...geographical
aspect
Rigorous censorship of art & literature

Critical evaluation
1
st
systematic political theorist
Writing spanned many areas
Utopian thought begins
Criticism of PR: Prevent opposition...like army rule

6. Rejected majoritarianism & popular participation
Confusing unity with harmony (Aristotle)
Excessive regimentation – automatic command
obedience
Forerunner of modern totalitarianism or 1
st
fascist
Poor faith in common man...did not grant the
individual freedom of choice (Berlin)
Enemy to open society (Popper)
Eliminated the emotional bonding of family
Socrates
virtue is knowledge; a life unexamined is not
worth living
Plato

Aristotle
Developed dialectical method

Rejected Republic
Accepted Laws
Aristocratic conservative –
revitalising & reforming
aristocracy

Aristocratic
conservative –
revitalising &
reforming
aristocracy
Aristocratic
conservative –
revitalising &
reforming
aristocracy
Not mention slavery-
regarded unimportant
Slavery would
change with
technology
Ruler-subject
relationship :
automatic command
obedience
Ruler-subject
relationship : equality
Source: A Historical of Political Thought: Plato to Karl Marx, by Subrata Mukherjee and Sushila Ramaswamy