The Importance Of Education In The Republic

– Education is a transfer of knowledge from one generation to another. In The Republic, for Socrates truth, justice, and goodness are the main principles of a utopic society. Indeed, the truth is universal and therefore in order to have a perfect utopic society, its community should be dedicated and based on truth. In fact, in this imaginary society the educational system is based on true stories and fiction. However, the Republic shows that even though this imaginary society is intended to protect truth, justice, and goodness, to some extent the education oppresses people and does not represent principles of a utopic society. The education of this society is highly controlled and encourages people to have one set of mind. Everyone has the right of …show more content…
By being philosophers, Guardians are ultimately becoming the elite class. Therefore, they have more privileges than others do. In fact, Guardians are the only one to know the truth: “[…] it would be best to say nothing about it, or if it must be told, tell it to a select few under the oath of secrecy […]” (Plato 378). In this society, Guardians are allowed to read fantasy because they can differentiate the truth and the fantasy. They have a word upon others. Socrates assumes that they are the most suited for the distinction of truth and fantasy without even giving a chance to others. By this virtue, the entire society is condemned – they live in a lie. The society is unjust. In fact, privileges accorded to the Guardian class demonstrate how this society is not fairly based on truth and justice. The educational system that Socrates creates only benefits Guardians and not the rest of the society. It does not give real knowledge to the people. In some way, Socrates intends to control and alter people’s beliefs in order to transform them in a specific set of mind that he