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Democracy and the Republic Distribution Agreement In presenting this thesis as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for a degree from Emory University, I hereby grant to Emory University and its agents the non-exclusive license to archive, make accessible, and display my thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter now, including display on the World Wide Web. I understand that I may select some access restrictions as part of the online submission of this thesis. I retain all ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis. Aaron M. Tucek April 15, 2015 Democracy in the Republic: Practical Support for an Imperfect Regime by Aaron M. Tucek J. Judd Owen Adviser Political Science J. Judd Owen Adviser Harvey Klehr Committee Member Cynthia Patterson Committee Member 2015 Democracy in the Republic: Practical Support for an Imperfect Regime By Aaron M. Tucek J. Judd Owen Adviser An abstract of a thesis submitted to the Faculty of Emory College of Arts and Sciences of Emory University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honors Political Science 2015 Abstract Democracy in the Republic: Practical Support for an Imperfect Regime By Aaron M. Tucek This paper launches the broad philosophical project of building a robust justification for the continued value of democracy in the rapidly changing world of the Information Age. This project proceeds by creating a dialogue between the great political theorists of antiquity and modernity. This paper provides the opening act of this conversation by exploring the treatment of democracy in the Republic, the Western world’s foundational work of philosophy. It challenges the conventional wisdom that the Republic is simply undemocratic, and argues instead that Plato provides a qualified support for democracy. These conclusions are reached through a detailed analysis of the text’s setting, historical context, dramatic elements, and philosophical content. Ultimately, these analyses suggest that Plato values democracy for its rhetorical usefulness, its political reality in Athens, and its philosophic virtue. Although the Republic clearly displays the imperfections of democratic government, this paper contends that Plato ultimately treats democracy as the practical regime most likely to provide good governance and as therefore the best realistic alternative to Socrates’ ideal regime. Democracy in the Republic: Practical Support for an Imperfect Regime By Aaron M. Tucek J. Judd Owen Adviser A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Emory College of Arts and Sciences of Emory University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honors Political Science 2015 Acknowledgements This work represents the culmination of my academic career, and as such it is only fitting and proper that I use this opportunity to acknowledge those people who have had the greatest impact upon my development as a student. First, I thank my family generally for instilling within me intellectual curiosity and a love of learning, and my grandmother, Mrs. Dana Bergeron, in particular for helping me find my love of politics. Second, I thank my high school debate coach and English teacher, Mr. Derrell Robin, for teaching me the power of language and the importance of philosophic reflection. Finally, I thank my adviser, Dr. J. Judd Owen, for introducing me to classical philosophy and the fascinating world of Plato, and for being a ceaseless source of guidance and wisdom throughout the process of writing this thesis. I am incredibly fortunate to have learned from such high-quality mentors. Without their support over the years, I would not be the student I am today and this thesis would not have been written. Table of Contents Introduction: the Question of Democracy ....................................................................................... 1 The Normative Question of Democracy ................................................................................... 1 An Opponent of Democracy ..................................................................................................... 6 The Task at Hand .................................................................................................................... 10 Chapter One: The Republic in Context ......................................................................................... 12 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 12 Thirty Tyrants ......................................................................................................................... 14 Relevance for the Republic ..................................................................................................... 19 The Piraeus and Home of Cephalus .................................................................................. 20 Ten in the Piraeus.............................................................................................................. 21 The People of the Republic ............................................................................................... 25 Implications for Democracy ................................................................................................... 31 Chapter Two: Finding the Value of Democracy ........................................................................... 34 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 34 Explanation One: the Defense of Socrates .............................................................................. 34 Explanation Two: a Call to Reform Athens ............................................................................ 38 Explanation Three: Philosophical Support ............................................................................. 46 Moving Forward ..................................................................................................................... 51 Chapter Three: Action and Speech ............................................................................................... 53 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 53 Action in the Republic: Creating a Democratic Context? ...................................................... 53 The Fundamental Nature of Politics ................................................................................. 53 Majority Rule .................................................................................................................... 56 Rule of Legitimacy ........................................................................................................... 59 Lessons for Politics ........................................................................................................... 60 Speech in the Republic: A Non-Democratic Ideal ........................................................................ 62 The City of Pigs ................................................................................................................ 62 The Luxurious City ........................................................................................................... 64 Implications for Democracy ............................................................................................. 70 Lessons for Practical Politics ............................................................................................ 72 Three Waves ..................................................................................................................... 75 The Philosopher Kings ...................................................................................................... 80 Criteria for Evaluating Government ....................................................................................... 84 Chapter Four: Democracy in Book VIII ....................................................................................... 86 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 86 Unsustainable Ideal: the Descent to Tyranny ........................................................................ 86 Evaluating the Types of Government .................................................................................... 92 The Wisdom Principle ...................................................................................................... 93 The Political Courage Principle ...................................................................................... 100 The Moderation Principle ............................................................................................... 102 The Justice Principle ....................................................................................................... 107 The Verdict on Democracy ................................................................................................... 111 Conclusion: Democracy in the Republic .................................................................................... 113 Works Cited ................................................................................................................................ 116 1 Introduction: the Question of Democracy The Normative Question
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