Greek And Western Thinkers Analysis

Differences between Greek and Western thinkers Ancient Greece, along with Rome are believed to be the founders of democracy. The government of Athens, Greece was allegedly the foundation to the governments we practice today. However, some of the prominent Greek Thinkers, such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, were actually strongly against democracy. In Why Socrates Dies: Dispelling the Myths, Robin Waterfield observes some differences between some of the Greek thinkers, including Socrates and Plato, and the modern western political thinkers about the role of the state in the quest for moral goodness. The western thinkers believe that the quest for moral goodness is mostly a private affair. One should only be concerned about themselves. …show more content…
It is up to the individual to strive for good morals. I do not believe a good community creates good people. Even if you have a good community, people can still choose to do immoral acts. “Socrates said that it was not those who help the scepter who were kings and rulers, nor those who were elected by unauthorized persons, nor those who were appointed by lot, nor those who had gained their position by force or fraud, but those who knew how to rule” (176). Socrates believes that those who are wise and know how to rule, should rule. Socrates believes this should be the case at every level. For example, Socrates believes a man who knows how to rule will rise to the top in a city, an army, a country, or a family. He believed that if someone was an expert leader people would be willing to obey him, because the people knew that what he did, he did for the betterment of the country (177). Western democracies believe in protecting the rights of the people. They believe people have certain rights and freedoms by default. They also believe that the people should have the right to elect their own leaders. The people also elect representatives to represent their beliefs in the government. I believe there is such a