Introduction to The Republic
More than two thousand years ago, a certain philosopher you may have heard of, a man from the Greek city-state of Athens called Plato, came up with some ideas on what he thought should be the ideal state, that is, the best possible form of government mankind should try and aspire to. Plato's political philosophy has subsequently inspired pretty much all of political philosophy today.
To give you some examples of some very famous people you may have heard of, who have been inspired (or offended) by Plato's political philosophy:
Aristotle, Cicero, Plotinus, Augustine of Hippo, Al-Farabi, Thomas More, Marsilio Ficino, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Leo Strauss, and Karl Popper.
Thus, in order to understand political philosophy, we must first understand the core of Plato's political philosophy. Most importantly, we will try and show Plato's answer to the central question he proposes in his magnum opus of a book in political philosophy, The Republic: Why should we all be ruled by philosopher-kings?
Types of Government & The Ideal Government
To answer why we should be ruled by philosopher-kings, we must first consider the types of government discussed in Plato's political philosophy and which is the ideal type of government.
Plato thought that there were five types of governments that deteriorated from the highest stage (aristocracy) in the following stages:
1. Aristocracy: Rule by philosopher-kings (this is the ideal form of government according to Plato, this deteriorates into) ->
2. Timocracy: Rule by military honor (which then deteriorates into) ->
3. Oligarchy: Rule by the wealthy elite (which then deteriorates into) ->
4. Democracy: Rule by the masses (despite
what you might think of an Athenian philosopher, Plato did not actually
like democracy very much, he thought it
often deteriorated into disorder, chaos and tyranny.) ->
5. Tyranny: Democracy eventually degenerates into tyranny, which is rule by a single despot who exploits their power.
As you can see, aristocracy is the best form of government in Plato's political philosophy. In his version of aristocracy, there are three main political classes, which we must discuss in detail to fully understand and answer the initial question of why we should be ruled by philosopher-kings.
The Purpose of The Ideal Government
In Plato's political philosophy, there is a key purpose to government: to promote justice. Justice for Plato happens when people of each class in the ideal state perform their role well. That brings us to the next question: what are the classes in the ideal state, according to Plato?
The Three Classes of The Ideal State
In the book which outlines Plato's political philosophy, The Republic, Plato explains that the ideal type of government is one that is split into three separate classes: the Guardian class (where the Philosopher-Kings come from), the Auxiliaries (Warriors), and the Producers (workers/farmers).
The Guardians
The Guardians play an essential part in Plato's political philosophy- they are the ruling class of the ideal state. They are raised communally, and are not allowed to own property or have family ties. The idea is that without property or family ties they have a lower chance of being corrupt.
Their education is also carefully monitored, as they are only allowed to listen to specific music and read specific poetry, all of which is censored. For example, the Guardians are not allowed to read poetry about the Greek gods participating in what Plato deems are "immoral acts".
Later in life, the Guardians are trained in philosophy, math and participate in military training. Philosopher-Kings are then chosen from the Guardian class, once they turn 50 years old and understand what Plato calls "The Form of the Good". According to Plato, the Forms are perfect, eternal, and unchanging concepts or blueprints (like Beauty or Justice) that exist in an abstract realm (you can think of this as a sort of alternate universe or higher dimension), with the physical world containing only imperfect copies of the Forms, which mortals must seek to aspire to. The Form of the Good is the highest of these Forms, the ultimate source of reality, truth, and intelligibility for all other Forms, much like the sun illuminates the visible world.
Most importantly, in Plato's political philosophy, the Guardians represent the reason or rationality of the ideal state. As philosopher-kings, they possess the highest level of knowledge, particularly the understanding of the Forms and the ultimate Form of the Good, which enables them to govern justly and wisely. Their decisions are based on intellectual insight rather than appetite or ambition, ensuring that the state is guided towards harmony and the common good for all its citizens. This ruling class embodies the highest part of the soul, whose function is to guide the spirited and appetitive elements (represented by the other two classes, the Auxiliaries and the Producers).
The Auxiliaries
The Auxiliaries are another key class in Plato's political philosophy. They represent the spirit of the state. The Auxiliaries are the warrior class of the city. They serve as the city's military force, responsible for defending against external threats and maintaining internal order. Their education mirrors the early stages of the Guardians', emphasizing both music (encompassing literature and the arts) and physical training.
This dual focus aims to develop a balanced character—instilling discipline, courage, and a deep sense of duty. Through exposure to appropriate stories and rigorous physical regimens, Auxiliaries are trained to be both gentle with fellow citizens and fierce against adversaries. While they share this foundational education with the Guardians, only those Auxiliaries who demonstrate exceptional philosophical insight and wisdom may ascend to the Guardian class and partake in its advanced education.
The Producers
In Plato's political philosophy, the producers are the working class of the ideal state. They represent the appetite of the state. This group forms the largest class and includes all professions other than the warriors (Auxiliaries) and the rulers (Guardians), including farmers, craftsmen, merchants, doctors, and other laborers who create the goods and services necessary for the society's functioning. The producers are driven by basic needs and desires. They operate under the principle of specialization, focusing exclusively on the tasks for which they are naturally suited.
While they are permitted to own private property and accumulate wealth – unlike the other two classes – they hold no share in political power and must obey the decrees of the ruling Guardians. This separation of economic activity from political rule is intended to ensure that the Guardians are not motivated by greed.
The main question: Why should we all be ruled by philosopher-kings?
Now let's go to the fundamental question about Plato's political philosophy that we raised at the start of this post. Philosopher-kings are, according to Plato, fundamentally more suited to rule since they have been free from corrupting influences and taught about how to be wise and good through their education and philosophical thought. Most importantly, these philosopher-kings understand the Form of the Good, and with this they possess a type of wisdom that no one else has. Thus they are more suited to rule than a warrior who has only been taught how to use the sword, or a producer who only knows how to farm crops. Indeed, in Plato's political philosophy, the ideal state is one where reason (represented by the Guardians/philosopher-kings) rules over the soul and appetite (represented by the Auxiliaries and Producers).
Conclusion
In conclusion, Plato's political philosophy, as detailed in The Republic, constructs an ideal state meticulously designed to achieve justice and harmony through specialized roles and virtuous leadership. He argues that the best form of government is an aristocracy ruled by philosopher-kings, uniquely qualified through rigorous education, communal living, and a deep understanding of the Forms, especially the Form of the Good.
This ruling class, representing reason, governs over the spirited Auxiliaries (warriors) and the appetitive Producers (workers), ensuring each part of society fulfills its function appropriately, much like a well-ordered soul.
Although Plato's political philosophy and his proposed structure of the ideal state, including censorship and a rigid class system, may seem strange, or even totalitarian today, his fundamental assertion—that true justice requires rulers who possess profound wisdom and are dedicated to the common good—continues to provoke debate and influence political thought, cementing The Republic as a vital piece of Western philosophy.
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