Before reading this sections about all the different kinds of government and which is the worst and which is the best, I thought that surely after aristocracy with the true king, democracy would be the next best government. I was very surprised when I read this for the first time to find out that a democratic government is only one step better than the one ruled by a tyrant. This made me wonder, how far is our own democratic government from becoming a tyranny? I remember, when Obama was elected into his first term, people running around saying that he was the Antichrist and that he would become a tyrant. Back then, it seemed a little extreme, but now after reading Plato I wonder how likely this actually is. On the other hand, is it possible for our government to go in the other direction and become an oligarchy, and then a timocracy, and then finally an aristocracy again? I don't know for sure, but I do know that it is possible for governments to develop in either direction, and to me a tyranny seems more likely. . .
I commented on Malory Searcey!
Susan
With all the checks an balances in place, it seems rather strange to think of our government becoming anything as drastic as a tyrant ruled country. I think the next era it would go through would be one of socialist, yet still with a sort of republic system. Only if there were enough people against the socialist view could I see a rebellion take place an lead to a revitalization of democratic ideas. With all of the checks and authorities set in place, our government is not exactly a true democracy as Plato would define it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Danielle in that America is not a true democracy by Plato's definition. Though this is a rather controversial argument, I think that America was intended to be a Constitutional Republic that applies democratic process. Therefore, The United States, when operating in the way (I think) it was intend to operate, it is not any man, but our constitution, that is the supreme ruler of our country. I don't know where this would fit into the thought process in the Republic.
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