Textual Interpretation Essay (1)

pdf

School

University of California, Santa Barbara *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

Subject

Political Science

Date

Oct 30, 2023

Type

pdf

Pages

Uploaded by KidFlagIbis20

Plato and Machiavelli: Ideal Regime Plato and Niccolo Machiavelli are two important political philosophers that set the groundwork for current day political science. Their works allowed for us, the reader, to make an informed judgment of how society should be constructed and sustained for continued societal development. In Plato's work, The Republic , and Machiavelli’s The Prince and The Discourses on Livy , we see both their ideal forms of government, both with a different view of how one can engage with leadership and how the rule of law can help maintain a stable republic. Plato was an extremely influential Greek Philosopher born under complex circumstances in 424 BCE in Athens [1]. His own mother had laid the foundations for Athenien democracy and his uncle belonged to tyrants who wanted to end Athenian democracy. Trained by Socrates, a philosopher who drove himself into exile, he began his own writings to become the civic educator that Athens needed, building off the works of such philosophers before him. In writing The Republic he uses the character of Socrates to discuss the analogy between city and the individual. He continued, that politics should not be a battle of interests, rather guided by wisdom and that justice can only be achieved through a perfect government structure that divides labor through natural ability [1]. With such organization, characteristics of courage, self-discipline, happiness can be found and social harmony can be achieved. Niccolo Machiavelli was a powerful diplomat in Florence during the start of the Renaissance Era. Dealing with world leaders, Machiavelli gained experience of different political environments, getting an understanding for the instability that Florence was experiencing under the ruling of the Medici family. In 1513, Machiavelli was ousted from

Florence as he was seen as a threat to overthrow the Medici rule [1]. In exile, he would write The Prince which was written as advice to a new ruler, acting as a job application to return to Florence. Furthermore, he would write The Discourses on Livy which would aim to uncover the sources of Rome’s great republic and find what a future republic could become. Plato writes The Republic as somewhat of a tragedy, he believes that there is a breakdown in the relationship between city and the individual. Plato designs his ideal city using Socrates, who shamed people into using reason in their thinking. He also uses the pragmatic character, Thrysamicus, to discuss the lack of justice in the world, that people in leadership only make decisions that exploit the public and that without justice, internal harmony cannot be achieved [1]. Plato’s city consisted of an authoritarian system of government where the most virtuous citizens, those being philosopher kings, were first followed by the rest of the population being divided into laborious or militarial roles. Plato did this by using the noble lie, allowing educators to divide people based on the character of the human soul and then by teaching their roles for the city. This balance allows for justice to follow as people perform their roles for different parts of the city. Plato says that people with gold blood are blessed with the virtue of wisdom and shall be the guardians of the city. They will become philosophers and lead the city politically, but not experience any material wealth. If one had iron blood, they would be trained into soldiers as they have courage in their soul. The honor from serving their city, an education forced upon them, would suffice as adequate remittance. Those that had bronze blood would be categorized into laborious jobs, producing the goods for everyone to survive. This way, quality products are provided and

everyone is accounted for. With civic engagement only available for those that became philosophers, Plato continues “I think a city comes to be because none of us is self-sufficient, but we all need many things” [2, Plato 369b], Kallipolis must be “wise, courageous, moderate and just” [3, Plato 427e]. Plato’s judgment that we shall share among individuals and the whole city shall benefit is true, and does create belonging which in effect creates harmony and connection to his world and relates to our world as we live right now. Niccolo Machiavelli produces his writings in a very different context to Plato. Having been ousted by the Medici family, his motivations rely more purely on getting back into his previous position of influence [1]. Writing The Prince , he shows that he is qualified to return and improve the current instability in Italy and Florence. With all the cities in conflict and France and Spain intervening, a prince was needed to unite all of Italy and stop the foreign interference. However, it is not The Prince that is his ideal proposition for a regime going forward. It is in The Discourses that Machiavelli discusses his ideal republican regime that works for the common people and renews itself over time similarly to Plato’s ideal city. In the book, he aims to take the lessons from Rome’s republic and establish a state that expands into a republic where liberty and civic virtue is relied upon in steering citizens toward the common good [1]. That the city state shall be governed by the people themselves through well ordered institutions and the rule of law, defending such civil liberty. In exile, Machiavelli found that there were lessons to take from Rome’s republic and its inevitable fall. In Rome, the city was founded on the basis of freedom, rather than wealth. It combined a mix of regimes, it had Athens’ pure democracy, Sparta’s mixed constitution and the

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Monarchy. With this, Rome intended to bring civic virtue to all citizens, placing the value of every citizen at the highest level. Rome could renew itself through changes of leadership, promoting their factions and ensuring that virtue is never lost. Machiavelli, with his detachment from society, saw the value of stability in governance being so important that it is worth, to some extent, a violent act. This would allow him to introduce a wave of changes that get closer to a republican government in Florence. Machiavelli says, “Impelled by the natural desire I have always had to labor, regardless of anything, on that which i believe to be for the common benefit of all, I have decided to enter upon a new way, as yet untrodden by anyone else” [4, Machiavelli 97], discussing how his new modern way of governing will be of great benefit to society. Further, Machiavelli discusses the importance of political participation and civic virtue everlasting, “though but one person suffices for the purpose of an organization, what he has organized will not last long if it continues to rest on the shoulders of one man, but may well last if many remain in charge and many look to its maintenance” [5, Machiavelli 85]. Many ‘rulers’ are the best kind of government, having many people giving different opinions creates good laws as they directly affect them, keeping away bad policies that give power to the power hungry and self-interested. Plato and Niccolo Machiavelli discuss closely their intentions for society and how citizens can be fully engaged in its political development. With Plato’s organization of people into a harmonious and lawful society where roles become a large part of one’s identity, instituting a relationship between city and individual. Whereas, Machiavelli reflects upon his experience of Florence and uses the lessons from the fallen Roman Republic to give us an understanding of what he believes is the best form of government for the advancement of Italy and Florence, with a ruling prince and with a republic. Both Plato and Machiavelli agree that the

wellbeing of the government should not be dependent upon one ruler and governing should always be directed toward the common good.

Works Cited 1. Hobbs-Morgan, Chase. 2023. PS 1 Lecture . Santa Barbara 2. Plato. 2009. The Republic Book 2 . Indianapolis: Hackett 3. Plato. 2009. The Republic Book 4. Indianapolis: Hackett 4. Machiavelli, Niccoló. 1970. The Discourses Book 1 . New York: Penguin Books 5. Machiavelli, Niccoló. 1970. The Discourses Book 9 . New York: Penguin Books

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version