Essay on The Guardians in Plato’s Republic

Plato’s idea of civic justice displays a criteria for specialization that holds each individual responsible for producing their own rendition of excellence that leads to a just life, which produces a just city, and ultimately civic justice. Plato describes civic justice as “…doing one’s own work provided that it comes to be in a certain way” (433b-pg.108).

In his philosophical text, The Republic, Plato argues that justice can only be realized by the moderation of the soul, which he claims reflects as the moderation of the city. He engages in a debate, via the persona of Socrates, with Ademantus and Gaucon on the benefit, or lack thereof, for the man who leads a just life. I shall argue that this analogy reflecting the governing of forces in the soul and in city serves as a sufficient device in proving that justice is beneficial to those who believe in, and practice it. I shall further argue that Plato establishes that the metaphorical bridge between the city and soul analogy and reality is the leader, and that in the city governed by justice the philosopher is king.

On the subject of the Guardians, education is one of high importance. The Guardians are meant to be brought up in such a way that the City can depend on them to not only being highly intelligent but also fierce fighters. Plato breaks down their education into two categories : gymnastics and music. These two categories serve to enhance both the body and mind to the highest level. However, it is important to note that Plato planned to filter and censor the majority of what was given to the Guardians in the mind category. This filter included removing any and all teachings of Greek mythology, as well as only allowing the Guardians to study what was deemed beautiful and just by Plato and his attendants. The claim made to support this was “ we can

The tale and structure of a society or city that Plato would like to create entails a lot. It cannot be forced upon the current generation, but the cultivating of the following beliefs, justices, and rules over time can be passed onto the current generation’s offspring. Plato’s plan is to do this so that it would then continue until all that anyone knows is the laws of justice with Guardians, or gold citizens, Auxiliaries or silver, and Producers who are bronze and iron citizens. Plato wants the citizens of the State to believe that God has made them different in that may have more power than others and hold the greatest honor which is gold. Those made of silver will be auxiliaries, but those made of brass and iron will be husbandmen and craftsmen. A golden parent may have a silver son and vice versa. (Plato 3)

Plato?s view of Justice can be seen in his model of The Tripartite Soul. In this model Plato outlines 3 sectors of his ideal society. This theoretical society is composed of Guardians, Auxiliaries, and Producers. The Guardians were the upper class citizens who had the authority to pass judgment. Guardians were rational and wise, and could participate and become involved in politics. The Auxiliaries were positioned as courageous citizens who helped preserve the spirit and emotion of a society by ?protecting and serving? much like a modern day public works department or police and fire squad. In the lowest tier of Plato?s ideal society were the Producers, whose job it was to create. The Producers were to use temperance in their lives, for they were classified as appetitive souls who could easily succumb to bodily desires. The Producers were to practice asceticism, which is the eradication of bodily desires.

Plato’s Book Three and Four reflects a mirror to our society, of back then and can still be seen now. Plato touches upon the subject of the ruling class and the definition of justice. In a society, one must each play their appropriate role. Everyone is assigned a role in society (suited to their nature) that will benefit them and the society; the meaning of justice. Just as those in society each play their role, so do parts of ourselves play their appropriate and just role. In Brave New World, each person is designed and given a special job. Society is very clean and everything is done a certain way for there to be progress and live an efficient life.

To achieve this, he also believes that we must remove the family and remove privilege. To have justice we must raise all children the same, find what they are good at and have them do that specific job for the rest of their lives. He states that to have societal justice we must first have individual justice. Plato’s explains the three-part structure of the soul and their resemblance to the parts of society and their virtues. First is the appetite part of the soul, the yearning for things but knowing they must come with moderation, these resembles to producers of the society; the craftsmen, the farmers, the artisans.

The characterisitics of the ideal guardian is summarized in those words by Socrates in the second book of the Republic : “[H]e who is to be a really good and noble guardian of the State will require to unite in himself philosophy and spirit and swiftness and strength. . .” Swiftness and strength is deemed necessary as the guardian is to be like a well-bred watchdog, who ought to be “quick to see, and swift to overtake the enemy when they see him, and strong too, if when they have caught him, they have to fight with him.” The requirement of ‘spirit’ is then derived from this, because if he is to fight well he ought to be brave, and Socrates finds that he is not likely to be brave who has not

Plato creates a new argument within the borders of egoism and the Guardians. He questions how we know the motives of other people. The guardians must be completely selfless. So the answer to this to create the Guardians from birth to have this selfless attitude. People would take children at birth and control their conditions carefully in order to control and develop their wants and desires. It is like taking a clean slate and drawing whatever you want.

Another premise is how justice is a craft with a particular function. All conventional items that human beings use have a purpose otherwise its useless. Even the most ridiculous products sold on infomercials are designed for a specific purpose. Although products being sold on infomercials are ridiculous for being invented with a purpose in mind, but do not function well and generally make the user of the product look foolish. Like conventional items justice has a function. However it is important that “a thing’s function is the work that it alone can do, or can do better than anyone else” (I. 353a). Basically, Plato is assuming that we, human beings are dependent on each other and working together will create a more sustainable society for all. It makes sense for every individual to specialize in a task and can trade goods or services with one another. Plato further applies this concept to his analogy of the city and parts of the soul.

The guardians collectively were those individuals whose special craft was just the task of governance itself. Plato proposed the establishment of an additional class of citizens, the guardians. They would be responsible for management of the society itself. In order to be able to fulfill their proper functions, these people would have to be special. Plato hinted that one of their most important

Plato defines justice as being a certain kind of person. Likewise, he must look for something in a just society in order to explain the just person. A just society has three divisions of labor based off of what people are good at. The first division is labeled as the rulers. The rulers can be male or female and they figure out what citizens should do.

“Then, under the influence either of poverty or of wealth, workmen and their work are equally liable to degenerate” (Plato 277). On the other hand, poverty causes the craftsmen to develop a rebel attitude. As such, the will resort to evil deeds in order to sustain themselves in the city. Another class in the city is the soldiers. Plato, through his mouthpiece Socrates, argues that the courage of the people of the city lie in their soldiers. However, courage is not a state in which there is lack of fear. Rather it is a state of knowing and persevering in one’s own convictions. However, for this to happen, soldiers need access to good education, which will strengthen their convictions. Education becomes an important part in ensuring that the soldiers understand their role in the city. “Educating [soldiers] in music and gymnastic; we were contriving influences which would prepare them to take the dye of the laws in perfection” (Plato 286). In other words, without education, soldiers would not be able to make decisions that resonate with their beliefs. Thus, lack of fear alone would not serve a full potential as it forms only a smaller portion of what courage constitutes. The third class of the city is the guardians. According to Plato, “Here, then, is a discovery of new evils, I said, against which the guardians will have to watch” (277). Guardians are portrayed as people who have wisdom to watch over

1. A) What is Plato's own view of justice in the individual? And B) how does he argue that it indeed pays to be just, regardless of the perceptions and punishments--or lack of--by society?

Is Plato’s vision for a good society incompatible with real justice itself? Does Plato arbitrarily define the word “justice” to suit his own political aims? Can we claim, at the very least,