Plato And Machiavelli Comparison Essay

The legacies left by Plato and Machiavelli, inspired and profoundly shaped modern governing. Their beliefs and views on how a ruler should run a government, constructed today’s political atmosphere. Despite the differences between Plato and Machiavelli 's visions on an idealistic utopian society, they both necessitate a ruler who possess the highest extent of reason within the tripartite division. However, their contrasting agendas they set for their ideal rulers, forged conflicting definitions of a virtuous society. Conclusively leading to differences in their beliefs on what responsibilities a ruler is entitled to and ultimately, the outcome of their society. Though both men heavily influenced the inner workings of the modern day government, …show more content…
Though both philosophers rely on the average man in order to sustain their society, they both view the majority as ignorant masses. As Plato was raised in the purest form of democracy, he quotes, “Democracy...is a charming form of government, full of variety and disorder; and dispensing a sort of equality to equals and unequals alike.” Mocking the instability of a democracy, Plato and Machiavelli both agree to leave the masses out of politics. Evident from past historical contexts, rulers such has Julius Caesar, Pericles, Napoleon, and Adolf Hitler all rose to power from a democracy. Knowing the effects of distributing equal amounts of power to the people, both men view the human nature as erratic and …show more content…
The most conspicuous difference is Machiavelli’s assertion that the people should be left alone, but only needed to support the ruler. Although both philosophers agree that democracy is a perversion of justice, unlike Machiavelli, Plato believes that the government is obligated to directly interfere with the people to make his society more virtuous. As Plato divides his society into three different class systems, Machiavelli allows the lower classes freedom from the