Introduction
Freedom is a rather contradictory theme in Plato’s Republic. Plato’s overview of democracy as a political system based on freedom and liberty is not a positive one. Nowadays, a variety of people do not trust democracy as political leaders have proved them wrong. Moreover, democracy is described as being taken with arms or the use of fear that “has caused the opposite party to withdraw.” Since freedom directly correlates with democracy from a political standpoint, one may argue that The Republic illustrates this notion as a destructive one. While Plato’s quotes may be interpreted as anti-freedom, the philosopher expressed views that allow this concept to succeed under particular circumstances.
Plato’s Notion of Freedom
Freedom and slavery are two opposing notions that have different meanings. However, slavery is presented as the result of “the most extreme form of liberty.” This notion correlates with the idea that excess in one field leads to an imbalance that affects the opposing side. For example, if all people are granted complete freedom, some individuals will have more means to exercise it. If people in power have the same right as the poor, the ones on top will have more tools to use their liberties. Moreover, their liberties may and will include the exploitation of others. This is how someone’s freedom turns into others’ slavery. The narrator views freedom as something that is intrinsically unjust because absolute liberty involves total permissiveness, and if liberty is in the wrong hands, it will quickly shift into tyranny.
The Republic illustrates what may happen if liberty becomes omnipotent and replaces such notions as respect, dignity, and humility. The narrator provides examples of a son disrespecting his father and teacher who “fears and flatters his scholars.” In this case, the freedom of one person becomes the chains of another’s. Moreover, liberty is again portrayed as something destructive if being in the wrong hands. It is suggested that individuals are different in terms of their experiences, knowledge, intelligence, and societal status. If the student views himself as equal to his master, he will not have the desire to learn from a person who does not stand above him in terms of knowledge. Moreover, a son who thinks his father is equal to him will disregard advice and guidance, which will make it impossible for him to be a societal member in an ideal country.
In another instance, Plato presents democracy as the political system that provides people with liberty yet scolds those who use it. It is illustrated that the regime “punishes them, and says that they are cursed oligarchs.” This situation shows that the concept of democracy and the freedom that correlates with it refers to a flawed narrative that liberty is the same as equality. If people are free to do whatever they want, submit to their intrinsic nature, and live their lives as they please, others will have to pay for this choice. One can live in joy and pleasure, focus on material goods, and disregard knowledge, which will still be considered freedom. However, this lifestyle correlates with the notion of oligarchy or even tyranny, which are supposedly opposed to libertarianism.
The narrator supports liberty, yet in an ideal state, it is to be controlled. The system that is described to be most effective is the aristocratic liberty that is to be implemented by individuals who have the necessary knowledge to manage the system. The narrator suggests that the rule has to be “exercised by one distinguished man or by many.” Since each individual is inclined to make certain decisions based on desires and inner goals, this impairs the notion of freedom in the general sense. These concepts suggest the narrator believes in aristocratic liberty within an ideal state since it is exercised by knowledgeable people with an understanding of human nature and desires.
Conclusion
While Plato’s vision of liberty is not currently exercised within political systems and regimes, his ideas were nuances that are still discussed and reflected upon. The author manages to captivate readers with his interesting views. Plato illustrated individual freedom as serving a purpose within an ideal state and focusing on reason rather than desires. Plato refers to liberties as mechanisms that cannot be completely balanced. The Republic reflects upon freedom and its opposite effect on tyranny as two interconnected systems that depend on each other.
Bibliography
Plato. The Republic. Translated by Benjamin Jowett. Charleston, SC: Forgotten Books, 2008.
Morgan, Kathryn. “Plato.” In Characterization in Ancient Greek Literature, 445–464. Brill, 2017.
Mounk, Yascha. The People vs Democracy: Why Our Freedom Is in Danger and How to Save It. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2019.