Plato s View On Democracy - 1767 Words

Democracy is often referred to as the rule of the many, but Aristotle called this definition incomplete. In his book â€Å"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. He therefore defined democracy as when â€Å"free people have authority and Oligarchy as when the wealthy have it† (1290b). Plato viewed Democracy as a flawed system with too much inefficiency that would make any implementation of a true democracy not worth it. While Aristotle viewed democracy as a system that could work if it is limited to certain restrictions and if it is the regime that best fits the culture of the people to be governed. In this essay it will be argued that Plato’s view on democracy as a flawed system is more prevalent or more compelling if the current political arena around the world is observed. Plato, according to his writings and others record of him, was an avid critique of democracy and his critiques if reflected upon rationally are very thought provoking. In the words of historian John Wild â€Å"The most serious charge against Plato from a modern point of view is that he is an enemy of democracy.†(Thorson 1963, p.105). In his book, â€Å"The Republic† Plato explains the definition of democracy as a single focus on the pursuit of freedom and social liberty at the expense of other societal goods like public order, public safety and stability both politically and economically. He explains thatShow MoreRelatedPlato s Views On Democracy845 Words   |  4 PagesRepublic of Plato, Plato, in addition to sharing his views on justice, shares his views on democracy using a fictionalized Socrates to outline the most pressing issues. Plato’s views on democracy are negative; he believes democracy to be bred from a response to inequality of wealth and to height en all of humanities worst traits. Plato believes democracy leads to unequipped leaders who hold offices and power without the necessary traits and preparation. The main issue Plato has with democracy, as outlinedRead MoreComparing Plato s And Socrates Arguments Of Life And The View Of The Athenian Democracy2091 Words   |  9 Pageshistorically and intellectually influential basis of many political theories and philosophical approaches since its first appearance. It is also crucial to mention that the book contains both Plato’s and Socrates’ arguments of life and the view of the Athenian Democracy in the ancient Greek world. Therefore, it can be confusing and complicated to decide to which philosopher the arguments belong. The main focus of the book is to find the definition and the whereabouts of order, justice and to establishRead MoreComparing Chomsky And Plato s Time1686 Words   |  7 Pages Chomsky and Plato both believe that the people in charge of the government during their times manipulate the public; they differ in what they think the replacement for the elites are. In the Republic Plato thinks the ruling class should be replaced with philosophers, in manufacturing consent Chomsky believes the rulering class should be replaced with the masses and democracy. Some of the reasons for this different mindset is the environment they were in at the time of righting their books. So firstRead MoreComparing Aristotle s 8 1455 Words   |  6 Pagesqualified compared to others. Plato outlines the different aspects of government and why he believes an aristocracy would be better form of government. In book 8 Socrates starts to wrap up his depiction of a just city. He starts to break down the four unjust constitutions of the city and man. Timocracy, which is represented by the honor-driven man who resembles and rules that sort of government. There is an oligarchy, ruled by a m an driven by his necessary appetites. Democracy, in which the man is controlledRead MorePlato And Aristotle s Views On Politics And Society1090 Words   |  5 PagesPlato and Aristotle are philosophers that both have an idea of an ideal state but they have their differences. While there are benefits to each of their views on politics and society, there are also many negative things about their views. Some of their negative views were realistic at one point in time but few are the same in today s society. Although I don t fully agree with either philosopher, I would have to side with Aristotle overall. The two philosophers had many differences but they wereRead MorePlato Was An Ancient Greek Philosopher Essay1698 Words   |  7 PagesPlato was an ancient Greek philosopher thought to have been born in 428 B.C, he was the son of Ariston and was brought up in an aristocratic way of life. Because of his social status and connections he obtained through his family, it was thought he would inevitably end up involved in Athenian political life, but this did not happen to such an extent, a friend of his, Socrates had an enormous effect on him and why he did not end up with a prominent role in politics. He explains this in his SeventhRead MorePolitical Philosophy, By Steven Cahn1197 Words   |  5 PagesIn Steven Cahn s book, Political Philosophy, The Essential Texts, philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau created the circumstances to enable the fundamental principals of philosophy and politics. These knowledgeable, astute and significant men have hel ped to achieve the structure of our past and present democracy as well as a plan of action for the rights and values that we as citizens can all relate to today. They are grounded in their thinking and tied togetherRead MoreComparing Aristotle and Plato Essays1325 Words   |  6 PagesComparing Aristotle and Plato Aristotle argues that in order for a polis to emerge, a union between man and women must convene. Later a household must be introduced which unites with other households to form a village, villages come together to form city-states. This theory is Aristotle’s natural view that an individual can not be self sufficient Plato argues that, in order to achieve absolute justice, a city-state is needed. In The Republic, Plato builds around the idea of Philosopher RulersRead More Plato on the Parthenon Essay905 Words   |  4 PagesPlato on the Parthenon The philosophical ideas of Plato that relate to the Parthenon include whether the structure is an element of the Visible World or the Intelligible World. In my opinion, Plato would view the Parthenon as an object in the Visible World. The Parthenon is a one of a kind monument that is tangible and exists in our real world. The Parthenon is an architectural project and deals with forms of science and mathematics. Platos view of science and mathematics are categorized asRead MoreThe Republic By Plato Vs. Plato1299 Words   |  6 PagesThe Republic by Plato is an vision of an utopian society established through the character of Socrates. Many aspects of Plato’s society appears utopian; however, it can also be viewed dystopian as it is mere subjectiveness. Many of Plato’s arguments apply to current day society; for example, Donald Trump’s rise to power depicts democracy degenerating to despotism. Plato’s Republic is utopian in idealistic terms because the mo st qualified individual is in charge of society who is able to extend his