Improvements In The Current Democratic Regime example essay topic

In the Republic, Plato seeks to define justice and, through definition, show that justice is intrinsically worthwhile. In doing so, Plato sets out to explain the principal concept of political justice, and from this obtain a parallel model of individual justice. Essentially, justice is defined as a result of accurate logic or reasoning. However, it is quite important to note that the democratic regime discussed in the Republic is not the same as the known democratic regime of today.

The democratic establishment discussed in the Republic is a direct democracy, which, even at that time, proved to be a failure. However, the overall idea of justice and injustice found in direct democracy oftentimes proves analogous to that of the current representative democracy. Throughout the Republic Plato seeks a definition of justice, and, in Book V, what justice might be found in the different regimes presented, including the democratic regime. Justice, as found in democracy, has its roots in equality and variety. Indeed, Socrates confirms that "it looks as though this is the finest or most beautiful of the constitutions, for... this city, embroidered with every kind of character type, would seem to be the most beautiful". Variety is important to some, equality to most, and it is in the democracy where these two elements are highly valued.

Here, justice is seen through the concept of equality, a vital concept of the true Form of Justice to many. Indeed, equality is a core aspect of democracy in the Republic, from which Plato identifies that it is the democratic regime that gives way to equality in the purest form available. This democratic regime containing the pure equality is admired by Plato, for it is "a pleasant constitution... which distributes a sort of equality to both equals and unequal's alike". Another aspect of the Form of Justice which is extremely important to many, and is also found in the democratic regime, is freedom. Plato, in fact, seems to admire the concept of freedom, although not placing it above the quest of seeking the Form of the Good, as Socrates observes that in "this city there is no requirement to rule... or again to be ruled if you don't want to be, or be at war... or at peace unless you want it... Isn't this a divine and pleasant life, while it lasts?" Freedom is basically found only, or at least more completely, in the democratic regime as opposed to the other regimes discussed in the Republic.

It is this freedom which is desired by many, but acquired by few, that Plato marvels at and gives credit toward the democratic regime for possessing. Justice can also be found even in what some would call a weakness and others, like Plato, strength of the democratic regime. Plato notes that in some instances "the democratic party yields to the oligarchic, so that some of the young man's appetites are overcome, others are expelled, a kind of shame that rises in his soul, and order is restored". The restoration of order pulls the ruler, and thus much of society, towards moderation, a key concept in the definition of justice.

It is in this restoration of order that justice may be found, for, according to Plato, the more order and harmony is attained by the society, justice is more valued and thus more prevalent. Plato also discusses the type of ruler in a democratic regime, establishing a connection between the ruler and the regime, when he reasons, "I also suppose that he's a complex man, full of all sorts of characters, fine and multicolored, just like the democratic city, and that many men and women might envy his life, since it contains the most models of constitutions and ways of living". People often tend to envy what is desirable, and desire what is good, particularly envying the ruler of the democracy and thus the regime itself. Through the many types of establishments, the true Form of Justice is able to manifest itself in a variety of ways, allowing for many outlets of justice in the democratic regime. Although Plato describes what justices are found in democratic regimes, he also points out the numerous injustices that are present as well. It is, as follows, that these injustices, which weaken the democratic regime, prevent it from prevailing in the ideal society.

Whereas in the ideal society the rulers seek truth and real knowledge (ultimately the Form of the Good), in the democratic society the rulers seek after unnecessary appetites. Essentially, Plato describes, in Book V, real knowledge as everlasting, never changing or ceasing. Therefore, those things that demonstrate justice in the society only compose a portion or segment of the true Form of Justice, as Plato depicts in Book VI. True justice, according to Plato, cannot be found in democratic regimes, but rather in the society ruled by the philosopher-king, because only he seeks true justice.

Plato's reasoning is evident as Socrates questions", [s] o isn't it clear by now that it is impossible for a city to honor wealth and at the same time for its citizens to acquire moderation, but one or the other is inevitably neglected?" Plato described moderation, and the pursuit thereof, vital to justice in the ideal regime, therefore because the democratic regime honors wealth above moderation, true justice is pushed aside. In the democracy the opinion of the philosopher is not always valued above that of society, and it is because of this that the democracy is judged by many to be beautiful. For only the philosopher seeks the true Form of the Good, and thus only the philosopher knows what regime is best for society. Indeed, only a true philosopher sees beyond the facade of variety and equality in a democracy and identifies those factors which enable injustice to flourish.

Additionally, Plato argues in Book IV that "isn't to produce justice to establish the parts of the soul in a natural relation of control, one by another, while to produce injustice is to establish a relation of ruling and being ruled contrary to nature?" Because the ruler of the democratic regime, the son of the oligarch, has a soul that is not in a natural relation of control, the regime itself, therefore, produces injustice. Plato systematically argues throughout Book V, particularly 558d through 561d, the democratic ruler, and thus the democratic regime, as a fickle and unreliable ruler, giving into whichever pleasure crosses his path at any particular moment. For example, Plato reasons of the democratic ruler that "he too rules his spendthrift pleasure by force - the ones that aren't money-making and are called unnecessary". In ruling by these unnecessary desires, the democratic man allows for injustice to enter, and oftentimes prevail, in his regime, usually ignorant to the source of the injustice. Plato also argues that the democratic ruler "spends as much money, effort, and time on unnecessary pleasures as on necessary ones", enabling more room for injustice to exist in the democratic regime. Plato depicts the ruler as a slave to his unnecessary desires "satisfying them all equally" and that declaring that they all "must be valued equally", which results in "neither order nor necessity in his life, but he calls it pleasant, free, and blessedly happy, and follows it for as long as he lives".

The democratic ruler seems therefore to be perfectly happy in his ignorance, providing for a great amount of injustice in the democratic society. Thus, it seems that the system which Plato used to rank each regime from best to worst is based solely on the degree of injustice found in the regime, neglecting all other elements. However, this line of reasoning proves to be quite a logical argument indeed. Throughout the Republic, and Book V in particular, Plato presents several Socratic arguments to improve the different regimes, including the democratic regime which proves analogous to the democratic regime of today. Primarily, one such Socratic argument that Plato presents is direct and evident in Book V, and comes in the form of two laws.

The first law is to prevent "people from doing whatever they like with their own property", and the second law "compels the citizens to care about virtue... ". It is by a greater control of property and the enforcing of virtue that justice would become more valued in the current democracy and thus improve it. Additionally, Plato describes in Book IV that in a just man, as in a just regime, reason rules over spirit and appetite, thereby creating harmony within and throughout. In order to improve the current democratic regime, Plato might argue that one, particularly the ruler or potential rulers, must begin to seek reason above spirit and appetite first and foremost to make any progress at all. This, indeed, must therefore begin with the education of the young, which is the first of several Socratic arguments presented to improve the current democratic regime.

Education is a key Socratic argument toward improvement, as the youth are one day to be the rulers and citizens of the regime. One possible solution is to enact in the current school systems a process to determine which children fit more into which type of the soul, thereby reaching toward greater specialization, which is a vital part of justice in society. Specialization is yet another significant Socratic argument toward the improvement of democracy, particularly the current representative democracy. Specialization would allow for greater efficiency and knowledge, thereby yielding greater justice.

Another fundamental Socratic argument toward the improvement of the current democratic regime is a greater emphasis on morality and virtue. Plato would argue toward an emphasis not only on reason and its supremacy, but also on morality and virtues. Certainly, Plato would relate such an argument to that of education, that society should instill greater morality and virtue in its children at a young age, and reinforce it throughout their life. Yet another argument Plato might present toward improvement might be the value to which we hold personal freedom. Truly, is personal freedom outside sacrifice? Plato might argue that, indeed, too much emphasis is currently placed on personal freedom rather than discussing the benefits, such as harmony and order, in conceding some freedom.

Plato would also argue that society currently holds tightly to the concept and value of personal freedom because the regime is disordered, and therefore those living in such a society are unhealthy. Ultimately, Plato might argue that to improve the current democratic regime would be to reach towards, and possibly achieve, the ideal state; however, realistically to improve the current democracy would be to keep the constitution of democracy intact. That is, some adjustments of education, specialization, and morality are necessary, in the Socratic argument, to achieve improvements in the current democratic regime, but not so much that it is moved out of the status of a democracy.

Bibliography

Plato. Republic. Translated by G.M.A. Gru be. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Company, 1992.