Book cover of Plato's Republic

Plato's Republic

by Plato (Πλάτων)

Plato's Republic is a Socratic dialogue which deals mainly with the definition of justice, the characteristics of a just city state and the just man. Although it was written more than two thousand years ago, many of the ideas and thoughts expounded here are still very much relevant to modern society. This is Plato's best known work and is also considered his most influential especially when it comes to the fields of philosophy and political theory. The Republic is divided into ten books and in each book Socrates discusses different topics from the immortality of the soul to the meaning of justice with his disciples like Glaucon, Thrasymachus, Adeimantus and others. The first two books focus on justice and its meaning. After hearing the arguments of his disciples, Socrates made a very enlightening statement when he said that it's the advantage of a person to be just and it's his disadvantage to be unjust. A statement like this can be very much true today as it is thousands of years ago. After that, they continued their discussions about education and the guardian class. I'm sure many have already heard about the guardians, in this book Socrates referred to them as the ideal rulers of an ideal city. Book eight of the The Republic discusses the different types of government, some of which we're familiar with today. Socrates referred to the different types of governments as timocracy, oligarchy, democracy and tyranny. It's interesting to note that he considered these types of governments including democracy as unjust. He said that in a democracy there's a strong tendency for the poor people to revolt against the rich class because the rich enjoy too much freedom in this kind of government. This work by Plato is a timeless classic and it laid the ground work for many important modern philosophical and political ideas. This book is definitely a good read especially to political science or law students and the philosopher in all of us.

Book Details

Language

English

Original Language

Ancient Greek

Published In

Authors

Plato (Πλάτων) image

Plato ( Classical Attic; 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC)) was an Athenian philosopher during the Classical period in Ancient Greece, founder of the Platonist school of thought and the Academy,...

Books by Plato (Πλάτων)

Listen/Download Audiobook

Read by:
00:00
Playback Speed 1.0
00:00
  • Select Speed

Related books

Michael Kohlhaas (English Translation) Cover image

Michael Kohlhaas (English Translation) by Heinrich von Kleist

Michael Kohlhaas is a gripping tale of a man's relentless pursuit of justice after suffering a grave injustice. Set in 16th-century Germany, the novel...

Bible (Fillion) 18: Livre de Job  (Chapitres sélectionnés) Cover image

Bible (Fillion) 18: Livre de Job (Chapitres sélectionnés) by Fillion Bible

Le Livre de Job est une œuvre majeure de la littérature biblique. Il explore le thème central du mal et de la souffrance humaine, interrogeant la just...

Bible (YLT) NT 04: John Cover image

Bible (YLT) NT 04: John by Young's Literal Translation

The Gospel of John, presented in Young's Literal Translation (YLT), offers a unique perspective on the life, teachings, and ministry of Jesus Christ....

Lady of the Shroud Cover image

Lady of the Shroud by Bram Stoker

The story delves into a utopian experiment in a fictitious Balkan country known as the Land of the Blue Mountains. The narrative spans from 1892 to 1...

Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship Volume 2 Cover image

Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship Volume 2 by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Wilhelm Meister's Apprenticeship, Volume 2, continues Goethe's exploration of the protagonist's journey to self-realization. Meister, now immersed in...

Golden Gems of Life Cover image

Golden Gems of Life by Emory Adams Allen

Golden Gems of Life is a collection of essays that offer timeless wisdom and practical advice on how to live a fulfilling and meaningful life. The aut...

Sonetos - Poemas Filosoficos Cover image

Sonetos - Poemas Filosoficos by Luis Vaz de Camoes

This collection presents a selection of philosophical sonnets by Luís Vaz de Camões, widely regarded as one of the greatest poets of the Portuguese la...

Leo Tolstoy Cover image

Leo Tolstoy by Gilbert K. Chesterton

This book presents a collection of insightful essays by three literary figures, exploring the life and works of Leo Tolstoy. The essays delve into Tol...

Bible (ASV) 18: Job Cover image

Bible (ASV) 18: Job by American Standard Version

The Book of Job (American Standard Version) is presented in forty-two chapters and is one of the Old Testament Wisdom Books. The narrative chronicles...

Fables de La Fontaine, livre 11 Cover image

Fables de La Fontaine, livre 11 by Jean de La Fontaine

Ce onzième livre des fables de Jean de La Fontaine est celui qui contient le plus petit nombre de fables: 10. Toutefois, les textes de ces fables sont...

Reviews for Plato's Republic

No reviews posted or approved, yet...