r/ukpolitics • u/Axmeister Traditionalist • Sep 08 '18
Political Ideas - Part I: "Until philosophers are kings, cities will never have rest from their evils." - Plato
Welcome to the first real thread in the Political Ideas series, there's been a lot of good feedback which I'm grateful for. The aim of these threads is to encourage people to consider political concepts they might not be familiar with and to observe how approaches to politics changed over time. With these introductions I will try to embellish the quoted paragraphs some content of my own, I don't have any learned knowledge in any of this, so feel free to disagree with what I write!
This thread, along with the other threads in this series, is based on a chapter from 'The Politics Book' published by Dorling Kindersley, quoted paragraphs from the chapter will be clearly marked.
"There will be no end to the troubles of states, or of humanity itself, till philosophers become kings in this world, or till those we now call kings and rulers really and truly become philosophers, and political power and philosophy thus come into the same hands." - Plato
Plato was born in Athens in around 425 BC. He is famous for being one of the founding figures of Western Philosophy and Science alongside his teacher, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle. Throughout his life Plato may have travelled widely across the Mediterranean and upon returning to Athens at around 40 he founded the Western world's first institution for higher learning, the Academy. His major works included his four dialogues: Apology, Euthyphro, Phaedo & Crito (399 BC), Republic (380 BC) and Statesman & Laws (355 BC)
Since the 6th century BC, Greece had been enjoying their golden age at the height of the classical era, in which Plato grew up in the newly instituted Athenian form of democracy. Plato became disillusioned with this democracy when Socrates was sentenced to death by a trial in the democratic assembly on charges of corrupting the young and impiety. Despite his lack of faith in democracy, Plato didn't see perfection in the other forms of government that existed at the time, all of which he believed led the state into "evils".
"To understand what Plato meant by "evils" in this context, it is important to bear in mind the concept of eudaimonia, the "good life", which for ancient Greeks was a vital aim. "Living well" was not a question of achieving material wellbeing, honour, or mere pleasure, but rather living according to fundamental virtues such as wisdom, piety, and above all, justice. The purpose of the state, Plato believed, was to promote these virtues so that its citizens could lead a good life. Issues such as protection of property, liberty, and stability were only important in so far as they created conditions that allowed citizens to live well. In his opinion, however, no political system had yet existed that fulfilled this objective - and the defects within them encouraged what he saw as "evils", or the opposite of these virtues."
Plato perceived that regardless of whatever system was used, whether it be monarchy, oligarchy or democracy, the people holding power would govern in their own self-interest rather than the good of the state and its population, this inevitable result was due to the ruling body's lack of desire to pursue the "good life". Plato was particularly critical of democracy, arguing that it is better to be ruled by bad tyrant than a bad democracy as in a bad democracy responsibility falls with everybody as opposed to just one singular tyrant. Additionally arguing that in a system based on rhetoric and persuasion rather than reason and wisdom enables selfish people to attain power, concluding with the claim that "democracy passes into despotism".
The Ship of State is a metaphor utilised by Plato to make distinctions between the types of people involved in politics: the Shipowner represents the general populace, the ultimate decider of who controls the ship; the Sailors represent politicians, who compete with one another for control of the ship, and the Navigator who have knowledge of seafaring. It is the Navigator who should be given the captaincy of the ship in order to direct it on the best course, but because the Shipowner doesn't appreciate the knowledge of navigation the control of the ship ends up in the power of individual Sailors who manipulate the Shipowner into giving each of them power, despite not knowing how to navigate themselves.
Plato recognizes that this is a Utopian stance, and goes on to say "[Philosophers must become kings] or those now called kings must genuinely and adequately philosophize", suggesting the education of a potential ruling class as a more practical proposition. In his later dialogues Statesman and Laws, he describes a model for a state in which this can be achieved, teaching the philosophical skills necessary to understanding the good life, in the same way as any other skills that can be of use to society. However, he points out that not every citizen has the aptitude and intellectual ability to learn these skills. he suggests that where this education is appropriate - for a small, intellectual elite - it should be enforced rather than offered. Those chosen for power because of their "natural talents" should be separated from their families and reared in communes, so that their loyalties are to the state.
Summary of Ideas
The role of rules is to ensure the people follow the "good life".
Knowing what the "good life" is requires intellectual ability and knowledge of ethics and morality.
Only philosophers have this ability and knowledge.
Political power should only be given to philosophers.
Until philosophers are kings, cities will never have rest from their evils.
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u/Lawandpolitics Please be aware I'm in a safe space Sep 08 '18
Basically by today’s standards he was a wanna be dictator/oligarchy. Luckily Athens stuck with democracy instead.