Biographer

Plato wrote Republic in response to many of the evils and injustices that he faced as an Athenian citizen. His mentor and role model, Socrates, was tried and put to death by the Athenian democratic government. The unjust death of Socrates at the hands of the Athenian Republic inspired Plato to create a composition that would reveal his ideal form of government.

As a close friend and student to Socrates, Plato witnessed first hand the trial and condemnation of Socrates. Plato profoundly disagreed with the government's decision to execute an innocent man, therefore motivating him to write Republic. Socrates spent a large majority of his time posing questions to the Athenian youth, as well as tutoring various citizens. Socrates was considered the wisest man in all the land by the Oracle of Delphi, and Socrates simply responded that he was only the wisest man because he knew that he knew nothing. As Socrates preached in public, he acquired admirers, enemies, and students. Several of his students were pro-Spartan, affiliating him with the enemies of the Athenian Republic. These relationships created tension between Socrates and Athens. Consequently, he was charged with "worshipping strange gods and corrupting the youth" and put to death (78). Socrates accepted his death and denied escape, exemplifying to his students that it was a man's duty to abide by the government, whether it is a just accusation or not. Socrates taught Plato many of his ideas, but as Plato became a philosopher himself, he began creating his own theories, such as the ideal state.

Plato created his version of his ideal state in Republic in response to his disdain for the Athens government. Plato referred to the current Athenian government as a "tyrannic democracy", which he sees as a corrupt ruling of the majority. Plato believed that the most functional and just forrm of government would be an oligarchy, which devolves into an aristocracy. An oligarchy is comprised of three tiers of citizens: the elite, the warriors, and the workers. Plato's problem with the Athenian government was that it made choices and decisions that pleased the powerful, such as executing Socrates for arousing the minds of the youth, rather than making choices based on pragmatic reasoning. Therefore Plato thought that the philosophers should comprise the elite tier of society because they would make the most reasonable decisions. In //Republic//, he writes, "There will be no end to the troubles of states, or of humanity itself, till philosopher become kings and this world, or till those we now call kings and rulers really and truly become philosophers, and political power and philosophy thus come into the same hands." According to Plato the warriors would defend the country, and the workers would be the laboring force driving the economy. Critcs of Plato's ideal form of state thought that the elite class was superfluous and unnecessary, but Plato explains how the elite group are the brains of the society. The elite class delegates the citizens to different areas of society so that the country can reach its full potential economically. Plato points out that this is not a feudal system; people do not inherit titles because of their lineage, but that the system is a meritocracy and people achieve their status through hard work.

Plato's //Republic// reveals his problems and complaints with his society. Socrates' death opened Plato's eyes to the injustices of the Athenian government. The Republic focuses on his disdain for the Athenian Republic and his idealistic oligarchy.

-Big Brother