Page 28 - DPOL201_WESTERN_POLITICAL_THOUGHT_ENGLISH

Western Political Thought

Notes economic and political power on purity and efficiency, for that would bring about corruption and
split the state in two. Thus, Plato was the first to understand the implications of the role that
economic factors play in politics, for excessive wealth and poverty would be ruinous to the health
of the state. He was aware of the constant civil strife in Greek cities. He blamed inequality as a
cause of political instability and social upheaval.
Plato permitted the third social class to enjoy private families and property, but that would be
under the strict control and supervision of the guardians. He subordinated both the guardians and
the artisans to a moral ideal: the welfare of the state and the collectivity. While the guardians were
entrusted with the task of ruling and governance, they would lead strict, austere lives. The artisans
did not have the right to participate in the political process, but enjoyed emotional ties and had
possessions. Plato played fair with both the sections of the society in terms of rewards and denial.
The characteristics of the Platonic Ideal State were class, communism, civility, control, contentment
and consensus.
Plato’s communism was ascetic, similar to the life found in a monastery, though many see this as
a forerunner of modern-day socialism. Communism was more than common ownership of property:
it symbolized different types of economic management. It conceived of society free of exploitation
and oppression, based on social justice, equity, freedom and democracy.

2.3 Regeneration of the Ideal

Having outlined the details of an Ideal State, Plato examined other types of regimes, accounting
for their decline and decay. He listed four: timocracy, oligarchy, democracy and tyranny. Each of
these regimes had a, corresponding type of human being. The eventual fate of all regimes was
tyranny. Though he described how regimes declined into tyranny, he did not explain how they
could recover from tyranny.
Plato’s account of historical change was pessimistic. He held that anything that came into being
would degenerate. He was aware that a chain of creation, decay and dissolution gripped the
world firmly, and it was only at rare intervals that individuals could snatch a brief moment of
seeming immortality.
The concluding note of Plato’s political science is not of an unlimited arrogance that man can
fashion a polity untouched by time, but of a heroism chastened by the foreknowledge of eventual
defeat. It is, in Shelley’s words, “Eternity warning Time” (Wolin 1960: 68).
The failure to regulate reproduction signalled the first departure from the Ideal State. Succeeding
generations lacked the talents of their parents, and coupled with neglect of the process of education,
there was a decline in the quality of the ruling class. The new rulers would value wealth and
money-making activities, marginalizing the wise and the intelligent.
Timocracy was characterized by the love of victory and honours, ambition and passion to excel in
war and money-making.
The next regime was an oligarchy, a state ruled by the wealthy few. It came into being when
individuals gave more attention to wealth and money-making and less to virtue. Society got
divided into the super-rich and the very poor. The lust for wealth undermined the rule of law and
principle of moderation. The poor revolted against such decadence, and the result was a democracy.
Democracy was characterized by licence, wastefulness, insolence, anarchy and the democratic
man gave more importance to his desires and appetites. There was no order or restraint. Quantity
rather than quality was the main criterion honouring all values on an equal basis. Pleasures were
measured more for their intensity and duration, rather than their intrinsic and differentiated
merit. Democracy deteriorated into tyranny. The tyrant made his people creatures of his will,
confiscating their labour. Too much licence led to servitude, and people were willing to make
themselves virtual slaves in return for security.

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