Ancient Greek philosopher Plato is no doubt the forerunner of Western political philosophers and ideas as well as ethics and metaphysics dedengkot them. Its opinions in this field has been read more widely than 2300 years. Inevitably, as the father of Plato resident fathers of Western thinkers,
Plato was born of the famous family of Athens circa 427 BC. In his teens he became acquainted with the famous philosopher Socrates is a teacher as well as his friend. The year 399 BC, when Socrates was seventy years old, he was dragged into court with baseless accusations do shit and deprave the young Athenian. Socrates was condemned, sentenced to death. Execution of Socrates - Plato called "the wisest, terjujur, best of all human beings I have ever known" - make Plato hated democratic government.
Shortly after the death of Socrates, Plato left Athens and during the ten-twelve years of wandering to where the foot carries.
Around the year 387 BC he returned to Athens, founded the university there, an academy which runs more than 900 years. Plato spent the rest of the age of forty years in Athens, taught philosophy and wrote the particulars. Famous disciple, Aristotle, who finished college student at the age of seventeen years, while Plato it was already stepping on the age of sixty years. Plato blindfold at the age of seventy.
Plato wrote no less than thirty-six books, mostly about politics and ethics than metaphysics and theology. Of course impossible to summarize the contents of all the books in just a few sentences. However, with the risk of simplifying his thoughts, I would also try to summarize the main points politiknya.yang ideas presented in the famous book, Republican, representing his thoughts about the ideal form of society that thinks.
The best form of a government, Plato suggested, is a government that is held by the aristocrats. What is meant here rather than aristocratic aristocrats who measured the quality of the dose, the government is driven by the son of the best and wisest in the country. These people should be elected not by the voting population, but through the decision process along. People who have become members of the ruling or the so-called "guardian" should be added those who are equal solely on the basis of quality considerations.
Plato believed that for everyone, whether male or female, must be provided the opportunity to show his skill as a member of the "guardian". Plato is the first major philosopher, and in the long term in actual fact is only he, who proposed the equality of opportunity regardless of gender. To prove the equality of chances, Plato suggested that the growth and education of children is managed by the state. Children must first obtain a thorough physical workout, but in terms of music, mathematics and other academic disciplines should not be overlooked. At some stage, extensive tests must be conducted. Those who are less advanced must diaalurkan to participate and engage in economic activities, while those who must continue to advance and receive gemblengan exercise. The addition of this education should include not only the usual academic subjects, but also explore the philosophy of Plato referred to examine the doctrine of the ideal form of metaphysical ideology.
At the age of thirty-five years, these people who are already fully convinced able to show his mastery in the field of basic theories, must undergo additional training again for fifteen years, which must include work for a practice experience. Only people who are able to show that they can realize the real work in the form of books he had studied can be classified into the "guardian class." Moreover, only people who clearly could. shows that the main interest is to serve the interests of society that can be accepted into. "Guardian class."
Membership guardian is not in itself attract public attention. For, so the guardian is not a lot to get money. They have allowed only a limited amount of personal property and must not have any land for private homes. They receive a certain salary and fixed (it was in a modest amount), and not allowed to have gold or silver. Members are not allowed to have a family guardian separate place, they must eat together, have a couple together. Rewards-frontman frontman for philosophers rather than wealth but satisfaction in serving the public interest. That a sum according to Plato's ideal republic.
Republican widely read for centuries. But it must be noted, a political system that is recommended in it have never actually practiced as a model of any government. During the period between the time of Plato until now, most European countries adopt the system of the kingdom. In recent centuries some countries adopt democratic forms of government. There is also a system of military rule, or under the tyrannical demagogues such as Hitler and Mussolini. None of these governments have in common with Plato's ideal republic. Plato's theory was never a fad any political party, or so bases of political movements such as happening on the teachings of Karl Marx, if thus we may conclude that the work of Plato, although discussed with great respect, is actually completely excluded people in practice? I think not.
True, none of the civilian government in Europe rests on Plato's model directly. However, there are remarkable similarities between the positions of the Catholic church in the middle of the century Europe with the "guardian class" Plato. Medieval Catholic church made up of elites who defend themselves in order not to wilt and marginalized, whose members receive formal philosophical exercises. In principle, all men, no matter where its origin can be selected into the priesthood (though not for women). Also in principle, the priests had no family and was directed solely so that they focus on their own group, rather than lust majesty praised.
The role of the Communist Party in the Soviet Union there are also comparing it with "guardian class" in Plato's ideal republic he had. Here too we find that all of the elite group trained by the official philosophy.
Plato also affect the governance structure of the United States. Many members of the American constitutional convention knew and was familiar with Plato's political ideas. He meant, of course, that the Constitution of the United States opened the possibility to explore and influence the will of the people. And also desirable as a means of selecting people who are the wisest and best to govern the country.
The difficulty of determining the significance of Plato's influence throughout the period - despite extensive and spread - are complicated and indirect presented. In addition to his political theory, the discussion in ethics and metaphysics has influenced many philosophers who came later. If Plato was placed on the order of Aristotle's slightly lower than the list right now, this is mainly because Aristotle was not only a philosopher but also an important scientist. Conversely, the higher the placement of the order of Plato rather than thinkers like John Locke, Thomas Jefferson and Voltaire, why because the writings of political influence world affairs in the long period of just two or three centuries, while Plato had a coverage of more than twenty-three centuries.
