What did Plato say about democracy? Plato had a complex view of democracy, and he believed that some democratic practices should be reformed, while others should be adopted or abandoned. Here are some of his views on democracy:
Danger of excessive freedom Plato believed that democracy could lead to dictators, tyrants, and demagogues coming to power because it gives too much freedom to selfish people.
Leaders without proper skills Plato believed that democracies often have leaders who lack the proper skills or morals to rule.
Unjust and corrupt Plato believed that democracy was an unjust and corrupt form of government. He thought that democracy allowed inferior people to control their superiors, which could have disastrous consequences.
Need for knowledgeable rulers Plato believed that rulers should be knowledgeable and that most people are politically incompetent. He believed that philosophers, who have knowledge of good, should be the ones to rule.
Importance of a constitution Plato believed that a constitution with clear rules could provide some protection against demagoguery and offer a baseline of equality under the law.
Citizen responsibility Plato believed that citizens should know enough about what's going on and speak out when there are violations.
Plato's most famous work, The Republic, is considered a paradigm of an anti-democratic work. However, Plato's political theorizing also shows an interest in improving democratic institutions.
Chairman Joe here: Plato thought that aristocracy was the best form of government. He had a plan for forming aristocrats but no one has been able to make it work.
What did Plato say about democracy?
ReplyDeletePlato had a complex view of democracy, and he believed that some democratic practices should be reformed, while others should be adopted or abandoned. Here are some of his views on democracy:
Danger of excessive freedom
Plato believed that democracy could lead to dictators, tyrants, and demagogues coming to power because it gives too much freedom to selfish people.
Leaders without proper skills
Plato believed that democracies often have leaders who lack the proper skills or morals to rule.
Unjust and corrupt
Plato believed that democracy was an unjust and corrupt form of government. He thought that democracy allowed inferior people to control their superiors, which could have disastrous consequences.
Need for knowledgeable rulers
Plato believed that rulers should be knowledgeable and that most people are politically incompetent. He believed that philosophers, who have knowledge of good, should be the ones to rule.
Importance of a constitution
Plato believed that a constitution with clear rules could provide some protection against demagoguery and offer a baseline of equality under the law.
Citizen responsibility
Plato believed that citizens should know enough about what's going on and speak out when there are violations.
Plato's most famous work, The Republic, is considered a paradigm of an anti-democratic work. However, Plato's political theorizing also shows an interest in improving democratic institutions.
Chairman Joe here: Plato thought that aristocracy was the best form of government. He had a plan for forming aristocrats but no one has been able to make it work.
Thanks for the wise observations and for the clarity. Would that it were.
DeleteI wonder what Plato would think about the role the Internet plays in a democracy?
ReplyDelete