The Republic is perhaps one of the world’s most popular and most influential works of political theory and philosophy, both historically and intellectually. In his Republic, Plato brings to life the main character of Socrates (Plato’s real-life teacher and role model) and explains to the reader his own personal views on how a virtuous and most importantly just city would become a reality. In depicting his perfect city-state, a society ruled by an aristocratic philosopher-king, Plato additionally makes note of the four other potential political constitutions: timocracy, oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny. Even though Plato came from a democratic background, he proposes that democracy is excessively flawed in its natural development to be viewed as an ideal political system that could be used. Rule by the people heavily relies upon its inhabiting citizens' common ideas and greed to create laws, which suggests that the whole city is governed and influenced by the third and most brutal part of the soul, the appetite. In this paper, I will explain what justice is according to the Republic, outline why Plato viewed the Kallipolis as the most just form of running a government, and lastly state the problems and issues Plato had with governments who used democracy in their political constitutions.
Plato’s main objective throughout The Republic is to define justice and that justice is in everyone’s best interest since it is required for genuine happiness. Plato believes that the most ideal approach to figuring out what justice is begins to construct a perfect soul. He attempted to prove that the justice of an individual and the justice of the city had a direct connection with each other. Now for that reason, he makes a theoretically perfect city and within it has a good soul and all four virtues. He states that a city or government should be ruled by leaders who have the knowledge/information of how the city ought to be run. The Philosopher King must be virtuous, and righteous and their soul must be ruled by its rational part. Philosopher King must have the power to do what must be done in order to protect the city, regardless of whether it is against the desires of the people since he realizes what is best for the city as a whole. The character of Socrates proceeds to search for wisdom, courage, and temperance in this constructed city, on the grounds that justice will be similar to recognizing what remains (Plato, pg 133, 427e). They discover wisdom among the guardian rulers, courage among the guardian warriors (or auxiliaries), and temperance within all classes of the city. Finally, justice in The Republic was defined by Socrates as the state in which each class performs just its own work and does not interfere with the work or profession of other classes (Plato, pg 140, 433e). This definition of justice is directly tied in with Plato’s concept of the Kallipolis (beautiful city) and why the Kallipolis is particularly just.
Plato’s reason for introducing the Kallipolis is to build a model of justice as it may be found in a political entity such as a state or city. Both the city (political entity) and the citizens are described as just, and the two can be found within each other (Plato, pg 58, 368e). Also, Plato’s concerns in The Republic are political and ethical. For him to address these concerns, Socrates creates a just city in theory, the Kallipolis. It is here that Plato unveils his social theory and his account of the nature of leadership. As well as explaining why the Kallipolis is more just than a democracy. Socrates makes some fundamental assumptions in establishing his city. Specifically, he builds up rapidly that there should be a division of labor, with its citizens having specialization in different and unique tasks (Plato, pg 58, 369b-372b), As the city develops in material consumption, it will as well grow in complexity and in need for valuable resources. Eventually, the city will begin having tension with other rival city-states thus creating conflict (Plato, pg 63, 372d-373e). To put it briefly, the city is to be divided into three classes: philosopher-kings, auxiliaries (warriors), and workers (money-makers). In the Kallipolis the philosopher-king will govern for the benefit of the other two groups, with the auxiliaries being second in command. The philosopher represents reason, the auxiliary's honor, and the work's appetite. The reason why there is justice in the Kallipolis is that this categorization of the three classes consists of each class carrying out the social responsibility and role for which it is fit. No one is interfering with one another and their work which falls under Plato's definition of justice. Each class in this just city will be ruled and influenced by reason. For the philosophers (the rulers) this happens within themselves by the rational part of the soul, and for the other two classes, the auxiliaries and workers, it occurs by being ruled by the philosopher-king (Plato, pg.341, 590d). So in the Kallipolis, each class will have an interest and obligation to be responsible and keep order in this regime.