Moral And Political Ideas Essay, Research Paper

Thrasymachus definition of justice is nothing other than the advantage of the stronger (338 c). By this he means that people in ruling positions will make laws to their own advantage. Thrasymachus explains how rulers are surely stronger and make laws to fit their own interests. Then he states that because of this justice is, the advantage of the established rule (338 e). Socrates then speaks of rulers of crafts such as a ships captain or a doctor who provide rules to benefit their subjects rather than themselves. He gets Thrasynachus to reluctantly agree that a kind of knowledge seeks to rule what is advantageous to the weaker, which is subject to it (342 d). Thrasymachus falls to self-contradiction because he agrees to the exact opposite of his original definition. In this way Socrates succeeds in the objective goal through self-contradiction.

Socrates states that all men and women are to be treated equal in all aspects of life (457 d). Men and women royals share responsibilities in ruling as guardians; they also eat, sleep and live together. Sharing family and wealth keeps people from being jealous or greedy. In Socrates explanation of his ideal city this would keep the best of men and women breeding together. The idea behind this is to create the best breed of children (459 e). The lower class may have sex with each other, however when their children have been reared they will be sent to a separate part of the city. In this secret place children of inferior parents will be raised so as to keep the guardian breed pure (460 c).

Socrates says that democracy has the finest or most beautiful of constitutions (557 c). In a democracy there is no requirement to rule or to be ruled when or if you don t want to. He seems to disagree with this as well as not having to be a juror (557 c). In my eyes democracy is the best form of government for these very reasons. All together Socrates account of democracy mirrors how and why our country, the United States of America was founded.