Essay on Comparing the Republic to the Modern Society

The relevance of The Republic to our modern society In Plato’s The Republic, Plato illustrates what his ideal city would look like. He describes the educational systems, ideal legislators and the purposes of democracy. The republic influenced many people to understand the purpose for democracy, and it led to new philosophical schools of thought. Although this work was written hundreds of years ago, it still affects our modern world today. One of the most important things that Plato stresses is the importance of education. Without education of the masses, democracy would cease to exist. When Plato was forming his ideal society, he stressed the importance of education for several reasons. Most importantly, educating citizens led to a†¦show more content†¦This allegory is also 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 down and give understanding to those who are lacking it. Plato goes on to describe the type of leader that would be perfect to run the ideal city. The type of leader that Plato describes is someone who is â€Å"wisest about the affairs of the state, and by whom the state is best administered and who at the same time have other honors and a better life then that of politics. â€Å" The ideal leader in Plato’s time is not much 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 very 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, economic self-interest and political power must be kept separate and not be allowed to work in combination to the disadvantage of the state. In mapping out his utopian society, PlatoShow MoreRelatedThe Republic, By Plato And Modern Day Social Classes1282 Words   |  6 PagesIn the Republic, Plato divides social classes into three categories. These categories were Rulers, Guardians, and Craftsmen. These classes work together to ideally create Utopia. Plato believes social order must be maintained in order to have a fully functional society. These social classes are similar to the Feudal System, and modern day social classes. Each class has its own role, which if not carried out can disrupt the flow of society. Within each social class all men, women, and children hadRead MoreSociety And Government In The Handmaids Tale By Margaret Atwood1411 Words   |  6 PagesAs we examine today’s society and government, there are different aspects that may lead people to agree with or be against society and government. When compared to the Republic of Gilead in The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, civilians had litt le to no freedoms and abided by extremely strict regulations. The Republic of Gilead divided individuals and forced them into completing tasks and working without giving them any choice. The handmaids were forced to have sex in order to bear children, whileRead MoreThe Impact Of Freedom On Ancient Greece And Modern America945 Words   |  4 Pagespolitical scientists are not blessed with a universal definition of freedom to apply. Instead, they must deduct whether a society is ‘free’ based on a combination of identifying some general characteristics, as well as considering constraints that may arise from that society’s place in time or geographic location. Thus, the following comparison of freedom in Ancient Greece and Modern America will consist of an identification of similar and differing characteristics of the two, as well as an applicationRead MoreFreedom to vs. Freedom from1145 Words   |  5 Pagesbeing stripped from American society. However, Margaret Atwood depicts the United States as a dystopian society in her novel The Handmaid’s Tale. The first society is modern America, with its autonomy and liberal customs. The second, Gilead, a far cry from modern America, is a totalitarian Christian theocracy which absorbs America in the late 1980s in order to salvage it from widespread pollution and a dwindling birthrate. The principal flaw in Atwood’s Gileadian society is the justification of humanRead MoreThe Social Contract : Hobbes Vs. Rousseau1457 Words   |  6 PagesThe Social Contract: Hobbes vs. Rousseau Since the beginning of the modern age, governments and states have existed in order to maintain moral law. Essentially these institutions are for the greater good of humanity. However, little thought is ever given to how humans lived without governments. Each and every person in the modern age is born into a state, and becomes a part of that state regardless of their will. The concept that humans are born into a state is derived from the social contractRead MorePlato And Platos Theory Of A Just Society1122 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferences. In Plato’s theory of a just society, he draws reference to the Greek cultural idea polis in comparing the good of society to the good of the individual. Plato believed that we must examine how individuals are constituted to thoroughly understand how a just society should be constituted. To determine what makes an effective society, it is essential to first determine what makes an effective individual. Socrates suggests in book 2 of the Republic the when looked at on a larger scale, justiceRead MoreThe Failure Of Communism And Communism965 Words   |  4 Pagespossible benefits and debits in the early twenty-first century. Capitalism and Communism have both been put forth as the best models for modern enlightened societies. Each philosophy contains both desirable and undesirable elements within its framework. Communism is based on a firm belief that fiscal and social equality is the path to an ideal utopian society. Capitalism is based on the principle of individuality, and the exercise of individual rights, freedom, and the liberty to pursue advancementRead MoreLinda Kerber s Women Of The Republic1269 Words   |  6 Pages LINDA KERBER: WOMEN OF THE REPUBLIC Name: (Class Information): Date:â€Æ' The ideals by the Republicans which came into the limelight after the Revolutionary War would set into motion a revolution not just in the United States but in many countries across the world. Linda Kerber’s ‘Women of the Republic’ is a demonstration of the paradigm shift in relation to the US social and political structures after the American Revolution. Kerber observes that not only did the war provide more opportunitiesRead MoreConflict Between Russia And The Soviet World Essay1415 Words   |  6 Pagesspecial geopolitical position, Crimea always has strategic significance to Russia. In history, Crimea was annexed to the Russian Empire in 1783 and, following the Russian Revolution of 1917, became a republic within the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in the USSR. It became the Autonomous Republic of Crimea within newly independent Ukraine in 1991. As a result of the 2014 Ukrainian revolution, Russia annexed Crimea through a combination of military occupation and democratic procedure, leadingRead MoreJustice Is The Interest Of The Stronger1453 Words   |  6 Pagesworks The Republic, found in a fictional dialogue between Thrasymachus and Socrates. In order to understand the nature of this statement it is essential to analyse the nature of justice, what is meant by â€Å"the stronger†, and the principles of Sophism his claim is based on. What is Justice? The concept of justice has underpinned a substantial number of political institutions in the known world, both past and present; balancing the rights of the individual with that of the interest of society. Many communities