A Commentary on Plato's Republic
Posted: Tuesday, August 17, 2010
by Dr. Carla Goddard
Plato's Republic suggestions for a mythical utopia are discussed. Characters join in a heated debate over the definition of Justice. They decide that Justice is merely an abstract perspective. Socrates constructs his ideal state in order to create a "just" society. According to Socrates, "justice is the excellence of the soul and injustice the defect."
"The just is happy and the unjust miserable." If this statement made by Socrates is true, happiness is justice. If the citizens of the utopia never experience injustice, or sadness, they have nothing to compare happiness to. If people were happy all the time, it would be normal. Happiness would be mediocrity, not a wonderful change of emotions. If happiness was normalcy, then no one would really be happy. If no one was happy then no one would be just in this "just" society. I would not like to live in the ideal state because I like to know what it feels like to be happy.
In the ideal state, there are three main classes. There are the Guardian rulers who rule the State. There is the Auxiliary who serve as the muscle of the State. Serving as the backbone of the State are the artisan workers who conduct the necessary tasks to maintain the up keep of the State. In order to create "equality" among the classes "those who have cannot rule and those rule cannot rule." Also the person who decides whether or not one is worthy of being a ruler would be superior to everyone, thus defeating the whole equality thing. It is important for the members of each class not to question how the State operates. So the citizen's are told a great lie called the myth of metals. The myth of metals is the "royal lie" the government will tell every citizen. Any objectors to the system would endanger the stability of the State. Basically, the idea of the myth of metals is an attempt to harness free will. Even if money and power are taken out of the picture people will still divide themselves into distinct social groups, as is human nature. The artisans who work with metal would socialize with other metal workers, thus creating a social group. Eventually the groups would become competitive, and become "unjust." I believe that lies and social classifications breed injustice. I don't want to live in the ideal state because it is a big cover-up and lie.
Injustice ties this mythical state together. In addition to the lack of happiness and the social classifications, citizens of the utopia are exposed unknowingly to injustice. As the city grows, more land is needed. The army of the Ideal State must take more land from other cities. Auxiliaries must kill people in order to preserve their "just" society. The soldiers steal away the land from good hardworking people who settled that land. This is pure injustice because the inhabitants of the wanted land did nothing to deserve to be slain. Injustice is present even in the mythical state. I would not want to live in a place where the government deceives you into believing one thing is just even when it is unjust.
The Ideal State described in Plato's Republic is a Hippocratic cover-up. If you want to live in a place where no one understands the true meaning of happiness, the Ideal state is for you. If you want to be lied to and tricked, the mythical state is for you. If you want to live in a society powered by cliques and injustice, the republic is for you. I, personally, would not like to live in the Ideal State described in the Republic.
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)I wouldn't want to live there either, Carla. It's just one big head-trip!JenniferOne big head trip is a perfect description.mwah
"The just is happy and the unjust miserable," is a powerful statement, which I believe is true today.JamesThe more I read that statement, the more I agree it is powerful. Thank you for pointing that out.mwah
Hi Carla.Excellent critique! I certainly wouldn't want to live there either.DianneDianeThank you for stopping by and for your kind words.mwah
Hi Rev. Carla.Thank you for writing this well-written piece."I would not want to live in a place where the government deceives you into believing one thing is just even when it is unjust." doesn't this statement apply to where we are now?Blessings.NenitaNenitaThank you for stopping by. I think that your point is well taken - If we are not careful the statement could become a truth.mwah
Hi Rv. Carla, isn't it interesting that Greece came out with concepts of high virtue, and then you come across the first recorded notions of man serves the state. Man, you hit this rubbish right on the head. Well done.AlThank you. And thank you for stopping by.mwah
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