Xianglong “Jonathan” Meng
Professor Walter Johnston
English 125 Theater and Politics
11 October 2015
Platonic Utopia
In Plato’s The Republic, we observe Socrates’ attempts to construct an ideal city whose principle, as Socrates states in Book IV, is to promote justice, which he defines as “each individual . . . follow[ing] the one which his natural character best fitted him”(127). The phrase “his [own] natural character” implies the existence of self-identity, independence, and autonomy, suggesting the capacity of being self-governed and having self-control within the guardian class. Autonomy can be understood as one giving oneself one’s own law and acting upon it. According to Socrates, it means to be “master of himself” (125). Giving this …show more content…
Fortunately, we are not the only ones who ask this question. At the beginning of Book IV, Adeimantus immediately interrupts the conversation to question how it is possible that Socrates can ask the guardians to sacrifice nearly every aspect of their private lives while treating them like hired bodyguard and watchdogs. Socrates replies, “what we are doing at the moment, we believe, is not separating off a few of the inhabitants and making them happy,” by granting independence to the guardians “but constructing a complete city, and making that happy” (Plato 112). If we take his answer at face value, it seems that Platonic utopia is a form of totalitarian dictatorship that neglects individual interest for the service of the republic. In this respect, it is far from the typical notion of utopia. Instead, such a republic seems to represents a radical dystopia, ironic, in some sense, against its own definition as a utopia. Yet Socrates claims it is necessary. How can the idea of rule by individuals coexist with mandatory exclusion of arts and private property? Are those not paradoxical or …show more content…
Platonic republic is certainly a republic of a unique kind. It exists in contrast to the regime of most modern Western countries, which are devoted to maximizing individual liberty and protecting individual property. However, following one’s natural character, which the city promises for its own citizens, implicitly suggests the protection for individual liberty and property because we cannot expect people without the ability to practice their free to think about, let alone to follow, their natural characters. Thus, if the city cannot safeguard or respect these values, then how does the city achieve so-called justice and autonomy? In order to give a satisfying answer to Adeimantus and complete his argument, Socrates compares constructing a complete city to putting the colors on a statue of a man. In his guiding example, Socrates suggests, “we should not make the eyes – or any other parts of the body – so beautiful that they do not even look like eyes.” (Plato 112). Although the color purple may be great and beautiful on its own, it is not necessarily true when we try to paint the eyes on the statue because painting the eyes with the color other than what it suppose to be will cause them turn into anything other than eyes. By the same token, the happiness may be a good character on itself, but we should not give the guardians the kind of happiness that will cause them to turn into anything other than guardians. Thus, there is no
Professor Walter Johnston
English 125 Theater and Politics
11 October 2015
Platonic Utopia
In Plato’s The Republic, we observe Socrates’ attempts to construct an ideal city whose principle, as Socrates states in Book IV, is to promote justice, which he defines as “each individual . . . follow[ing] the one which his natural character best fitted him”(127). The phrase “his [own] natural character” implies the existence of self-identity, independence, and autonomy, suggesting the capacity of being self-governed and having self-control within the guardian class. Autonomy can be understood as one giving oneself one’s own law and acting upon it. According to Socrates, it means to be “master of himself” (125). Giving this …show more content…
Fortunately, we are not the only ones who ask this question. At the beginning of Book IV, Adeimantus immediately interrupts the conversation to question how it is possible that Socrates can ask the guardians to sacrifice nearly every aspect of their private lives while treating them like hired bodyguard and watchdogs. Socrates replies, “what we are doing at the moment, we believe, is not separating off a few of the inhabitants and making them happy,” by granting independence to the guardians “but constructing a complete city, and making that happy” (Plato 112). If we take his answer at face value, it seems that Platonic utopia is a form of totalitarian dictatorship that neglects individual interest for the service of the republic. In this respect, it is far from the typical notion of utopia. Instead, such a republic seems to represents a radical dystopia, ironic, in some sense, against its own definition as a utopia. Yet Socrates claims it is necessary. How can the idea of rule by individuals coexist with mandatory exclusion of arts and private property? Are those not paradoxical or …show more content…
Platonic republic is certainly a republic of a unique kind. It exists in contrast to the regime of most modern Western countries, which are devoted to maximizing individual liberty and protecting individual property. However, following one’s natural character, which the city promises for its own citizens, implicitly suggests the protection for individual liberty and property because we cannot expect people without the ability to practice their free to think about, let alone to follow, their natural characters. Thus, if the city cannot safeguard or respect these values, then how does the city achieve so-called justice and autonomy? In order to give a satisfying answer to Adeimantus and complete his argument, Socrates compares constructing a complete city to putting the colors on a statue of a man. In his guiding example, Socrates suggests, “we should not make the eyes – or any other parts of the body – so beautiful that they do not even look like eyes.” (Plato 112). Although the color purple may be great and beautiful on its own, it is not necessarily true when we try to paint the eyes on the statue because painting the eyes with the color other than what it suppose to be will cause them turn into anything other than eyes. By the same token, the happiness may be a good character on itself, but we should not give the guardians the kind of happiness that will cause them to turn into anything other than guardians. Thus, there is no