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Essay History of Political Thought (S_HPT) Political Philosophy
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History of Political Thought lecture 4 until 12: detailed lecture notes
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History of Political Thought - Summary of all lectures 1-12
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Wahhab Hassoo2668181
BSc. Politi cal Science
Emergency number: +31(0)205988809
Plato (Cahn pp. 1-4, 31-51, 105-129)
Protagoras
A defender of traditional views of morality and politics. According to him: all individuals
should behave in a way that maintain the stability in state. Every individual respects other,
and he fulfills his obligations within a society together with other people. In addition, he
argued that this behavior is learnable and can be transformed to children. Socratics
commented: if the right behavior can be learned, then how is it that whenever we seek
knowledge, an expert was asked? When we need to build a ship, a ship builder is
needed/consulted. Socratics argued that when it comes down to politics: everyone can join:
shoemakers, shipbuilders, and etc.
According to Protagoras:
- Individuals differs in their abilities, different talents. Musician, shipbuilder etc.
- Acting in a just manner is taught in society
- All individuals are able to reach a basic level. Some people have greater talent and
excel/
Socrates
All we know about him is because of the writings of Plato. He redefines justice by making it
intrinsically valuable and that acting just is something that individual should strive for,
regardless any material benefits, acting just should be desirable on its own. Plato was the
student of Socrates and he was the finder of social science. Socrates paid his life for justice,
justice was spoken he said and he killed himself by drinking poison.
Who Should Rule?
Some answers:
“The People”: they constitute the state (sovereign?), nobody needs to revolt, fair,
etc.
, “The Elderly”: experienced, safe-guard tradition, risk averse, etc.
“The King/Queen”: constitutes the state (sovereign), decisive, birth-right, luck,
sanctified by God/tradition, simple mechanism, etc.
“The Elect”: excludes the incompetent/unpopular, gives a choice to the people or
religious, etc.
“The Party”: on the side of history, decisive, organized around common aim, etc.
Plato
He was one of Socrates students who was involved in an anti-democratic movement that
consisted of oligarchs known as the thirty tyrants, we do not know if Plato was involved in
this conflict. He established a school of philosophy known as the academy. Plato was a
philosopher who lived in Athens between 428-347 BC. He mostly wrote dialogues, most of
which feature his teacher Socrates as a lead character, who was put to death by the
Athenians. He was an institution-builder himself, because he founded The Academy (1 st
university), which lasted for 300 years. He mainly stayed out of politics, but was an advisor
to Dionysius II, the tyrant of Syracuse.
In his book politeia, meaning way of living or the entire way in which society is organized,
Plato argued that there is no perfect form of justice (trial theory), however, everything has
perfect form, and that is what makes it difficult to find the find the perfect form of justice.
But according to him there can be a perfect concept of justice that fits in a certain society.
These perfect concept of justice differs from a society to another, cause every society has its
own form.
10 Platonic criticisms of popular democracy:
1. Democracy dissensus. It’s the opposite of unity; disorder
2. Self-rule generates overconfidence in each of us; reign of false
3. Citizens lack expertise: they don’t know how to sail; reign of false
4. The masses deny the very existence of political expertise; reign of false
5. They threaten or kill anybody who claims intellectual superiority;
disorder/anarchy
6. Everybody wants to rule (disorder); This generates murderous conflict, and
this gets expressed as revolution and theft. (disunity)
7. The masses incite revolutions and steal property; disorder
, 8. With the masses in control there is much rudderless pleasure; masses are
aimed for pleasure. Not aimed at common interest, but everyone for
themselves; disorder
9. The people are susceptible to flattery and demagogues; reign of false
10. The masses call demagogues “skilled” (craftsmen/statesmen); reign of false
Plato’s Theory of the Soul
He meant by this: the manner in which individual functions is bound to his character. The
character follows from his soul. In the Theory of the Soul, Plato
- Distinguishes between rational, spirited, and appetitive elements of the soul. these
elements should each perform their proper task. Thus, the rational element rules.
The spirited element makes sure the individual is courageous when he needs to be,
and the appetitive elements seek to satisfy the bodies pleasure. However, there is an
hierarchy in these elements. The rational acts in the interest of the whole. The
spirited element is its close allies. The rational makes the decisions and the spirited
puts them into effect. The both rule over appetitive element. Justice thus can be
seen as self-discipline, to act according what is rational. When an individual is self-
disciplined, he will act according to justice.
Plato’s division of labor
In his book the republic, Plato asserts that division of labor is indispensable, that all humans
born with different abilities which are convenient to practice in in different specific jobs. Like
Socrates said: we are not born alike, but each of us differs somewhat in nature from other,
one being suited to one task, another to another. An example of this might be the selection
of city guardians. Plato believes that they should be chosen from the most appropriate men
to protect the city. Those men must be brave, physically strong and fast in order to provide
the best protection service for the city. Therefore, a producer who hasn’t those
qualifications cannot be a protector because it violates the principle of specialization.
Moreover, the man should focus on only one job because a proper time is needed to have a
proficiency in one job. Otherwise, the effort spent on multiple jobs at the same time does not
provide increased returns because it prevents someone from having enough time to qualify.
In The Republic, this is stated that “It was impossible for one man to practice many crafts
successfully” Thus, it can be said that each person has to work in one job that best fits their
skills; so that an efficient production method can be obtained. For this reason, Plato supports
the fact that this division of labor enhances the production of all goods and services.
Everyone who have been made by God should be able to rule in a society, however, this
depends on the abilities that a person has. His view in the division of labor
, (Plato’s context of justice):
If every individual would act in accordance to his or her place labor, then we would all go
through life without making mistakes doing just which we can successfully do. The rulers will
rulers will rule wisely, the soldiers will preserve the city with courage and the farmers and
laborers will get their private work done and leave administration to the guardians. Those
who know the best where goodness lies, must point a way for the rest. Social mobility must
constitutes in justice because social stability is the essence for justice. Like:
o Intellectuals are supposed to make rules and lead a society, myth of metals
Gold
o Soldiers/guardians are supposed to keep the society (protect the rulers to
rule), myth of metals silver
o Workers and farmers are supposed to maintain rules that are made by the
rulers.
Plato’s Democracy
Plato emphasized that in a democratic society there is no division of labor, that is why Plato
is against the democracy. Because there is no division of labor and everyone can be
whatever he wants within democracy, justice is severely undermined, wrong people will rule
and inutsice, and the truth of justice is shaped in the interest of those who want political
power. Justice will then fits in the interest of who’s fighting for political power, this is very
dangerous. However, quote justice is both wisdom and virtue and injustice is ignorance
(Cahn,49).
Quote (Cahn, p. 42)
And thus Thrasymachus, all who are in any place of ruling, in so far as they are rulers,
neither consider nor order their own interest. But that of the subjects for whom they exercise
their craft: and in all that they do or say, they act with an exclusive view to them, and to
what is good and proper for them.
Quote (Cahn, p42)
You cannot distinguish between sheep and shepherd…… because you think that shepherds
and herdsmen regard the good of their sheep and of their oxen, and fatten then and take
care of them with views than the benefits of their masters and themselves……..you imagine
that the rulers in cities, those who I mean are really rulers, are otherwise minded towards
their own advantage. And so you are so far wrong regarding justice and injustice…….. you do
not know that justice in really the good of another…… it is for the advantages of the stronger
and the of the ruler, but a disadvantages to those who are subordinates and servants
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