Plato's 'Republic'

Paper Summary:

In this study of Book VIII of the 'Republic' by Plato, the writer shows that the philosopher introduces a political cycle beginning in timocracy and leading-- through oligarchy and democracy-- into tyranny. The writer contends that Plato's view of democracy is consistent with his tendency to regard entities with respect to their purest "form". The writer discusses Plato's view that in the case of democracy, pure liberty leads the city-state into anarchy and ultimately, dictatorship.

From the Paper:

"In Book VIII of Plato's immortal treatise 'The Republic', we find Socrates explaining the nature of the four degenerative or diseased states timocracy, oligarchy, democracy and finally tyranny. Each of these states represents a component of a cycle with one corrupted state preceding the other in succession. In this it is perhaps puzzling that Socrates anticipates that democracy will precede the formation of a tyrannical state, for these two states appear at first glance to be antithetical. In the first Timocratic state, the tricks and devices of war ... "

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