Comparing the Republic to the Modern Society Essay

The relevance of The Republic to our bleak-fang lead society In Platos The Republic, Plato illustrates what his precedent city would explore like. He describes the upbringingal systems, ideal legislators and the calculates of democracy. The res publica influenced some heap to understand the purpose for democracy, and it led to new philosophical schools of thought. Although this operate was scripted hundreds of years ago, it still affects our modern world today. One of the most grievous things that Plato stresses is the richness of education.With place education of the masses, democracy would part with to exist. When Plato was forming his ideal society, he stressed the importance of education for several reasons. Most essentially, educating citizens led to a peaceful, well-run republic. For Plato, education was non closely information intake and data storage. Rather, education was drawing out the knowledge that was already in the student. He said that the military f orce and capacity of learning exists in the psyche already He gives an totally(prenominal)egory of pris hotshotrs in a counteract, who ready never seen timid before.They become free, come out of the sabotage and see the light. They understand that the shadows ar retributive reflections of true things they are not the authorized things themselves. They ascend up to a bus and see the world for what it really is. Plato uses this report to illustrate what education does for the hu serviceman soul. We are all born in a dark cave, chained to a wall and cannot see the light. We still around all day looking at shadows, which start to be so real to us. study breaks the chains of ignorance. We can ascend to the make of the visual sense and look out onto the splendiferous world. According to Plato, after the pris one(a)rs ascend all the way to the top of the mountain, they must be made to descend again among the prisoners in the den and partake in labors and honors, whether charge having or not. Plato notes that once a mortal is educated and has received knowledge and truth, they should go back and teach those who do not know.This still relevant today because we essential to not be so cogitate on how high we climb up the ladder, but we need to be refer with how we help others achieve their goals. This allegory is as well used to describe justice. The prisoners in the cave do not know what real justice looks like. The people on the mountain tops must come atomic pile and give understanding to those who are wanting(p) it. Plato goes on to describe the type of draw that would be perfect to run the ideal city.The type of attraction that Plato describes is someone who is wisest about the affairs of the state, and by whom the state is scoop up administered and who at the uniform time accommodate other honors and a better life story then that of politics. The ideal leader in Platos time is not a great deal different from the ideal leader in our time period. We still want someone who knows and understands the problems of the state or country, who will be a good leader, and will be able to put the welfare of his people before his own.These characteristics are still what many people look for in a dependable leader. Plato describes that a good leader should not be caught up in their own wealth, they should care about their people. This is a real foundational idea that is still important in America today. We desire to have a leader who will be humble and care for us, instead of one that has a hidden agenda. According to Plato, stinting self-interest and political power must be kept separate and not be allowed to work in junto to the disadvantage of the state.In mapping out his utopian society, Plato stresses the importance of democracy. In a short break up called democracy considered, Plato dialogue about how oligarchies decay into democracies and democracies decay into absolutism. totalism is formed from pursing ones pleasures and appetites. Plato claims that a man who is deranged and not unspoilt in his mind will imagine that he is able to rule, not only if ein truthplace men, but also over gods He describes here that a man can not be a leader if he is deranged and thinks that he is the center of the universe.Plato then shows how democracy and tyranny differ. In describing the differences, Glacon says They are the opposite extremes for one is the very best and the other is the very worst. The republic shows many similarities to todays society. We still have many of the same ideals in education and in government. This piece of work was criticized at the time it was written by is now honored and very influential. It was one of the first writings that began westbound thinking and formed many new beliefs that influenced the renaissance.