The Republic

Throughout the history of Western Civilization many powerful works, penned by some of the greatest minds in philosophy, have influenced the development and evolution of political theory, but none has had the profound impact of Plato's Republic. Written by one of the founding fathers of Western philosophy, the Republic, like most of Plato's dialogues, sets the stage for debates that have occupied the minds of thoughtful persons for more than two millennia.Why does government exist? What is its nature and purpose? Who should govern, and how is this decision to be made? Why should we obey the law? Answers to these and other questions are developed by Plato amid the give and take of a dialogue between his protagonist, Socrates, and a circle of concerned intellectuals. Metaphysical, epistemological, and ethical considerations combine to create an ideal state next to which all existing regimes can be compared.

PLATO was born about 427 B.C.E. into the distinguished Athenian family of Ariston and Perictione. Although interested in politics as a young man, he became disenchanted with the cruel and immoral behavior of Athenian rulers. Some small ray of hope emerged when Athens deposed its dictators and established a democracy; however, when the citizens put the philosopher Socrates on trial and later executed him for impiety, Plato left Athens to travel abroad.

In 387 B.C.E., Plato finally returned to Athens and created the Academy, an intellectual center for philosophy and science that offered scholarly training in such fields as astronomy, biological sciences, mathematics, and political science. From this influen­tial institution emerged Aristotle, Plato's most famous student. Plato dedicated himself to the Academy until his death in about 347 B.C.E.

During his lifetime Plato wrote a number of supremely important dialogues, which presented and critically analyzed significant philosophical ideas in metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and social and political philosophy—all of which con­tinue to engage posterity. His better-known dialogues include: The Apology, Cratylus, Crito, Euthyphro, Gorgias, The Laws, Meno, Parmenides, Phaedo, Phaedrus, Protagoras, The Repub­lic, The Sophist, The Symposium, Theaetetus, and Timaeus.