"Republic"

 

The one-name author
Gives us a one-word title
(This is a haiku)

What can I say about "Republic"? Before reading a single page, I already knew that it's considered one of the great works of the Western canon, setting in motion centuries of philosophical debate about the nature of justice and purpose of government. What I didn't realize is that it's also something of a page-turner.

"Republic" is written as a series of Socratic dialogues divided into ten books, and the use of language is fantastic. The arguments are laid out in such a way that I felt compelled to keep reading, even when I ended up disagreeing with the conclusions - for example, I still like the arts, even if Socrates doesn't!

In all, I found the second half, books six through ten, more compelling than the earlier discussions of justice and city-states. Book six describes philosopher kings, positing that the ideal ruler should love truth above all worldly concerns. Book seven contains the famous allegory of the cave. Book eight describes how an oligarchy arises:

They grow richer and richer, and the more they think of making a fortune the less they think of virtue...and in proportion as riches and rich men are honored in the State, virtue and the virtuous are dishonored...men become lovers of trade and money; they honor and look up to the rich man, and make a ruler of him, and dishonor the poor man.

It also describes how democracy descends into tyranny: 

See how sensitive the citizens become; they chafe impatiently at the least touch of authority, and at length, as you know, they cease to care even for the laws, written or unwritten...the excessive increase of anything often causes a reaction in the opposite direction...and so tyranny naturally arises out of democracy.

And book nine describes the curse of tyrants:

When such men are only private individuals and before they get power, this is their character; they associate entirely with their own flatterers or ready tools; or if they want anything from anybody, they in their turn are equally ready to bow down before them...but when they have gained their point they know them no more....they are always either the masters or servants and never the friends of anybody; the tyrant never tastes of true freedom or friendship.

Hmm.

Verdict: "Republic" posits that truth must provide the foundation of a just society and just life, and also discusses the issues inherent in different forms of government, which I found surprisingly relevant. The Greeks really did think of everything first!