Home Page

	Sign In Sign-Up

	The Dialogue: The Imperfect Governments
	Home Page \| The Dialogue \| Themes \| Interpretation \| Favorite Links

The Governments
Previously, Socrates and his companions have been discussing the 'utopian' aristocracy. Book VIII opens as they prepare to discuss the four lesser forms of government and how each devolves to the next. Plato records that the soul of the government is reflected in the people it raises.

War!

Oligarchy and the Oligarchical Man

Oligarchy: a regime based on property ownership in which only the rich hold office and the poor have no share in government (line550e)

An oligarchy forms from a timocracy as the people become more and more greedy. They cherish their money more than virtue. The rich become the rulers and the poor are stripped of participation in political activities. The oligarchical government is formed when laws are passed that restrict office holding to only those who hold property that meet requirements.

The characteristics of an oligarchy are:
*property, not skill, is the required qualification for jobs, positions, etc.
*the city has turned into two: the rich and the poor
*the masses continue in poverty while the ruling class is rich

The oligarchic man, likewise, prizes wealth above honor. He is a miser, doing only what he must and hording the rest. He prizes property above education. He appears honorable, but his true soul is not at all respectable.
Timocracy and the Timocratic Man

Timocracy: government by honor

Timocracy is the form of government admired most after aristocracy. It is the government of honor. Timocracy imitates aristocracy by honoring its ruler, providing common meals, and continueing to keep training for war in the foreground of the peoples' mind. On the other hand, it differs from aristocracy by promoting war rather than peace. The people always put simple and straightforward persons in places of leadership because they fear that 'clever men' will become equivocators (line 547de). The leaders, however, begin to become misers as they lean towards oligarchy.

The people of this regime reflect the government by loving office and honor. The people do not gain influence in society by intelligence, but by gaining military honor. When young, the people do not care much for money, but as they grow older, they become more and more greedy.

Democracy and the Democratic Man

As an oligarchy devolves into a democracy, the indebt people long for revolution to overthrow the rich elite. The money-lovers, however, are too saturated in their own wealth to realize or care. This creates internal strife in the polis, and the poor win the battle, creating a democracy. In a democracy, all have equal rights and an equal chance of getting a position in the government by lot. The masses are free giving them license to do whatever they wish. The government does not enforce the rules, nor do the masses obey them.

The democratic man is governed by unneccesary desires and needs. The man acts on impulse, just as Athens did when it voted to destroy Milos. Education is not acknowleged as profitable, and money is thrown out for unneccesary pleasures.

Tyranny and the Tyrant

Democracy devolves into tyranny when the liberty causes its downfall; atlast, "a spirit of anarchy will find its way into the very homes of the citizens." (line 562e)Socrates explains that "excess in one direction tends to provoke excess in the contrary direction" (line 564). The masses in a democracy eventually elevate a one man as "the people's protector and champion." (line 565c) Within this tyranny, the one man is granted free rein: he will then become a tyrant or be murdered by his enemies. The tyrant will purge the state of the brave, wise, and rich in order to keep his rein. The tyrant will spend his funds, and be kept aloof by the masses who continue to support him. He lives off the people who put him in power.

Democracy:
government by the people in which everyone has equal rights

Tyranny:
where one has complete power over masses

The Governments Previously, Socrates and his companions have been discussing the 'utopian' aristocracy. Book VIII opens as they prepare to discuss the four lesser forms of government and how each devolves to the next. Plato records that the soul of the government is reflected in the people it raises.
War! Oligarchy and the Oligarchical Man Oligarchy: a regime based on property ownership in which only the rich hold office and the poor have no share in government (line550e) An oligarchy forms from a timocracy as the people become more and more greedy. They cherish their money more than virtue. The rich become the rulers and the poor are stripped of participation in political activities. The oligarchical government is formed when laws are passed that restrict office holding to only those who hold property that meet requirements. The characteristics of an oligarchy are: property, not skill, is the required qualification for jobs, positions, etc. the city has turned into two: the rich and the poor *the masses continue in poverty while the ruling class is rich The oligarchic man, likewise, prizes wealth above honor. He is a miser, doing only what he must and hording the rest. He prizes property above education. He appears honorable, but his true soul is not at all respectable.			Timocracy and the Timocratic Man Timocracy: government by honor Timocracy is the form of government admired most after aristocracy. It is the government of honor. Timocracy imitates aristocracy by honoring its ruler, providing common meals, and continueing to keep training for war in the foreground of the peoples' mind. On the other hand, it differs from aristocracy by promoting war rather than peace. The people always put simple and straightforward persons in places of leadership because they fear that 'clever men' will become equivocators (line 547de). The leaders, however, begin to become misers as they lean towards oligarchy. The people of this regime reflect the government by loving office and honor. The people do not gain influence in society by intelligence, but by gaining military honor. When young, the people do not care much for money, but as they grow older, they become more and more greedy.
Democracy and the Democratic Man As an oligarchy devolves into a democracy, the indebt people long for revolution to overthrow the rich elite. The money-lovers, however, are too saturated in their own wealth to realize or care. This creates internal strife in the polis, and the poor win the battle, creating a democracy. In a democracy, all have equal rights and an equal chance of getting a position in the government by lot. The masses are free giving them license to do whatever they wish. The government does not enforce the rules, nor do the masses obey them. The democratic man is governed by unneccesary desires and needs. The man acts on impulse, just as Athens did when it voted to destroy Milos. Education is not acknowleged as profitable, and money is thrown out for unneccesary pleasures. Tyranny and the Tyrant Democracy devolves into tyranny when the liberty causes its downfall; atlast, "a spirit of anarchy will find its way into the very homes of the citizens." (line 562e)Socrates explains that "excess in one direction tends to provoke excess in the contrary direction" (line 564). The masses in a democracy eventually elevate a one man as "the people's protector and champion." (line 565c) Within this tyranny, the one man is granted free rein: he will then become a tyrant or be murdered by his enemies. The tyrant will purge the state of the brave, wise, and rich in order to keep his rein. The tyrant will spend his funds, and be kept aloof by the masses who continue to support him. He lives off the people who put him in power.			Democracy: government by the people in which everyone has equal rights
			Tyranny: where one has complete power over masses