Plato’s layout of the five possible forms of government, or constitutions, is a brilliant exploration of the psychological and philosophical tendencies of the leaders of five possible forms of government, or constitutions. In defense of the ranking of the five forms of government from best to worst, this paper will attempt to thwart possible objections to the order Plato provides to us, which is as follows: aristocracy, timocracy, oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny. His ideal state and leader, an aristocracy and leader with an aristocratic Soul, are outlined in the six books prior to Book VIII. This paper will thoroughly explain the qualities of an aristocracy and aristocratic soul as outlined by Plato in order to fully understand the other
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Books II-IV, particularly Book IV, explain the qualities that are essential to an ideal state and just person. For Plato, an aristocracy is the best form of government while an aristocratic soul, that which is a rational, wisdom loving soul is the best possible form a soul can be. If one’s soul is rational and wisdom loving, he is living a happier and more just life than someone who has a soul ruled by the one of the other four others: 1) a timocratic soul that is ruled by the spirited part of the soul which is, honor loving inclinations; 2) an oligarchic soul that is ruled by the appetitive part of the soul but only by its necessary desires; 3) a democratic soul that is ruled by the appetitive part but also by its unnecessary desires; 4) a tyrannical soul that is ruled by the appetitive part but by its unnecessary and lawless …show more content…
Wealth and the wealthy are valued more in the city than virtuous and good people are. The oligarchic soul nourishes the necessary desires we crave. Oligarchs “probably aren’t able to fight a war, for they’d be compelled either to arm and use the majority, and so have more to fear from them than the enemy….At the same time, they’d be unwilling to pay mercenaries, because of their love of money.” (551d-e)
Democracy, the second least preferred form of government according to Plato, comes to be when the number one desire becomes freedom. However, this unyielding desire for freedom can enslave those who house it. “And so he lives on, yielding day by day the desire at hand.” (562c) The democratic city “happens to get bad cupbearers for its leaders, so that it gets drunk by drinking more than it should of the unmixed wine of freedom.” (562c)
Lastly, democracy eventually devolves into tyranny. The tyrannical soul is dangerous, wild, and lawless. In order to preserve order, a tyrant seizes power as the democracy becomes weak and yielding. Unnecessary pleasures in life consume the tyrant. The tyrant and tyrannical soul, when compared to that of the philosopher-king and aristocratic soul, allows one to understand why a just person is happier than an unjust
Books II-IV, particularly Book IV, explain the qualities that are essential to an ideal state and just person. For Plato, an aristocracy is the best form of government while an aristocratic soul, that which is a rational, wisdom loving soul is the best possible form a soul can be. If one’s soul is rational and wisdom loving, he is living a happier and more just life than someone who has a soul ruled by the one of the other four others: 1) a timocratic soul that is ruled by the spirited part of the soul which is, honor loving inclinations; 2) an oligarchic soul that is ruled by the appetitive part of the soul but only by its necessary desires; 3) a democratic soul that is ruled by the appetitive part but also by its unnecessary desires; 4) a tyrannical soul that is ruled by the appetitive part but by its unnecessary and lawless …show more content…
Wealth and the wealthy are valued more in the city than virtuous and good people are. The oligarchic soul nourishes the necessary desires we crave. Oligarchs “probably aren’t able to fight a war, for they’d be compelled either to arm and use the majority, and so have more to fear from them than the enemy….At the same time, they’d be unwilling to pay mercenaries, because of their love of money.” (551d-e)
Democracy, the second least preferred form of government according to Plato, comes to be when the number one desire becomes freedom. However, this unyielding desire for freedom can enslave those who house it. “And so he lives on, yielding day by day the desire at hand.” (562c) The democratic city “happens to get bad cupbearers for its leaders, so that it gets drunk by drinking more than it should of the unmixed wine of freedom.” (562c)
Lastly, democracy eventually devolves into tyranny. The tyrannical soul is dangerous, wild, and lawless. In order to preserve order, a tyrant seizes power as the democracy becomes weak and yielding. Unnecessary pleasures in life consume the tyrant. The tyrant and tyrannical soul, when compared to that of the philosopher-king and aristocratic soul, allows one to understand why a just person is happier than an unjust