A Book Review on the Republic by Plato

Development is something that is a trendby one of the three parts of the soul.
nowadays. Every country is doing everythingThe state is form because of the notion that
what they can to achieve the so calledman is not self-sufficing and if it happen that
development. In The Republic, Plato understandshuman is self-sufficing he must be not human but
that humans are going through a cycle that froma beast or a god and, therefore, they are not
a primitive society to a well-developed one, thenpart of the state. And by forming this state it
returning to the original starting point (which is themay grow larger and larger with many needs are
primitive stage of life). The purpose why Platoat hand. As it grew, there will be a time that it will
wrote The Republic is to freeze all society andcome into war because of the struggle of getting
prevent change. But how could it happen if changeunlimited wealth. It will lead to the additional of the
is the only constant in this world. Could themembers of the community - that is the army.
society maintain there lifestyle without changing itAnother class is the Guardians. These are the
or develop it? It isolates a human giving them noruling class. The qualities of being a guardian, as
room for mobility, for example; if he is a farmer,mentioned in the book, which are necessary to
then that is the boundary. The Republic tries tomake a good guardian, are gentleness and high
illustrate how justice can be achieved, and howtemper. Aside from these qualities, courage is also
Plato illustrates how to achieve it. The Republic isimportant. By these qualities, guardians are
a dialogue between Socrates, Polymarchus, andcompared to a well-bred dog. Just like the
Thrasymachus, and others, who are too many towell-bred dogs, they are very gentle on the
mention, in the house of Cephalus. Therepersons that whom they know and fierce to
argument is about how would just and right bestrangers. Then, there will be enlargement of the
committed, and what is justice? And that lead tosociety. By this enlargement of the community
the illustration of forming an ideal state, in searchand consideration of comfort may help us to
for the definition of justice?discover how justice and injustice take root. Plato
Just and right. These terms may constitute manytries to put in plain words how the notion of
connotations. Its meaning may vary to what it isjustice can be obtain then derive a similar concept
in the perception of the beholder. As whatof individual justice. As what the book stated, it is
Thrasymachus defines "just" and "right" as nothingbetter to make out the nature of justice in the
but what is to the interest of the stronger party.individual if it will be taken in a larger scale.
But these concepts are some kind of a term thatIt also talks about Philosopher Kings, or rulers are
humans cannot ascertain to what these abstractdominated by striving for wisdom. You cannot be
concepts would really mean. As what stated bya ruler unless you are a philosopher king that they
Plato in his book, The Republic, "'right' was whathave the wisdom and knowledge to rule. The
good to someone else and 'just' means is servingsouls of these philosophers are more than just
the interest of the stronger who rules, at thethe others; it aims to fulfill the desires of the
cost of the subject who obeys.balanced part. They form the class of men to
It has 15 chapters. Justice is the main issue in thepossess knowledge. With these basic elements of
book. How to attain justice? What is the definitionan ideal society that Plato had installed, it illustrates
of justice? These were just some of the questionwhy men behave justly. In The Republic, it is
that Plato draws an answer in The Republic. Heshown how a perfect society ought to behave
then illustrates it by the forming of an imaginaryand how will the guardians be trained to achieve
state. The imaginary state may consist of threethe so called justice. Plato also explains that the
classes of people; producers, that is in charge forworld is divided into two realms; the visible and
the sustenance of the society; army, that is inthe intelligible. But only those minds who are
charge for the protection of the society; andtrained can grasped the forms, - visible - that is
guardians, the ruling class. The imaginary state isthe philosophers. As what he had illustrated, the
form in order to trace up where did justice orbasic element of an ideal society, must perform
injustice takes place and the quality of justiceits appropriate function (that rulers must rule,
may exist in a whole community. Each of theproducers must exercise whatever skills that is
social classes of the society is dominated by onevested to them) to know what justice means. Is
of the three parts of the soul. There is a rationaljustice well defined? Plato end The Republic by
part, spirited part, and appetitive part of the soul.defining justice as the greatest good.
Each of the classes of the society is dominated