Introduction
The topic of politics and leadership has been discussed for millennia, bringing new perceptions. Among the models of political leadership are the views of Sophists and Socrates. While both of the thoughts are strong and share some similarities, they are still different in their perceptions of truth and devotion. As for the similarities, both models of political leadership emphasize knowledge and philosophy.
Discussion
Sophists and Socrates emphasize the importance of these aspects in politics. Yet, the focus area that stands out from Plato’s judgment of the sophists is the exaggeration of the power of speech. In his work, Plato reiterates the distinction between genuine and erroneous speech that aims to deceive the audience. In this sense, Sophists are efficient persuaders of their audience and not more. They have the end goal and might not care for the means to achieve it.
Moreover, Plato made an argument that the Sophists live in a world of untruth and take advantage of the difficulties of argument by creating subjective impressions of reality. Sophists were characterized by Plato as hired murderers of the affluent and youthful, traders of wisdom, competitors in verbal combat, and soul-purifiers. While Sophists might remind philosophers who respect knowledge, they are not in pursuit of the truth. In this sense, they cannot differentiate between good and evil, right or wrong. In turn, the perspective of Socrates lies within the truth of the matter. Therefore, truth navigates in punishing and repudiating evil and accepting and performing good deeds.
Conclusion
As a result, the model of Plato’s Socrates is the most preferable in terms of political leadership. The objective of both politics and leadership must be based on truth and good deeds, devoid of personal gain. Whenever political leadership starts to be driven by deception, evil, and self-gain, the system begins to erode. In contrast, with clear perceptions of good and evil, it is possible to build a robust system that will promote justice, equality, and freedom rather than delusion and trickery. In this sense, the model of Plato’s Socrates reminds us of democracy, wherein the truth is the power.