Q) Discuss Plato’s theory of justice. Do you think it is relevant in modern times? Or Q) Critically examine Plato’s theory of justice? Ans) Introduction Plato (428/27-348/47 BC), a Greek philosopher, is one of the most creative influential thinkers in political philosophy. This outstanding Greek philosophers has left behind many important works, out of which ‘the Republic’ is of great interest to all those interested in the history of political ideas. Plato has been credited for laying the foundations of the Greek political theory, as he explored, analyzed and covered a wide range of philosophical perspectives and issues. In his philosophy Plato gives a prominent place to the idea of justice. He gave the idea of Ideal state which possessed the theory of justice. An ideal state for Plato possessed the four cardinal virtues of wisdom, courage, self- control and justice. In this notion ‘Justice’ was doing one’s job for which ‘one was naturally fitted without interfering with other people. For Plato, ‘state was Ideal, of which justice was the reality’. Justice was the principle on which the state had to be founded and a contribution made towards the excellence of the city. The central question of the ‘Republic’ was the meaning of justice or right conduct or morality. Justice in the State and Individual (One's search for the meaning of justice in Plato’s “Republic” would finally lead to two definitions: ~“Justice is Harmony”, and ~“Justice is doing one’s own job”. Plato was highly dissatisfied with the prevailing degenerating conditions in Athens. The Athenian democracy was on the verge of ruin and was ultimately responsible for Socrates’ death. This is why he gave the theory of justice. In the theory of justice Plato said that every individual was a functional unit, assigned a particular task with clear-cut obligations and privileges, which one was expected to perform diligently and meticulously. Moreover, since everybody would be involved in the performance of a socially required function, it would minimize, if not altogether eliminate, the probability of being a free rider and bring harmony in the society. He gave two important theories under the theory of justice, namely:{i) Theory of Three Classes and Three Souls Plato explained his arguments for differing individual capacities with the help of the theory of three classes and three souls, an idea borrowed from Pythagoras. He pointed out that every human soul had three qualities: rational, spirit and appetite, with justice as the fourth virtue, architectonic in nature, balancing and harmonizing the other three qualities. In each soul, one of these qualities would be the predominant faculty. Individuals in whom the rational faculty was predominant would constitute the ruling class, and the virtue of such a soul was wisdom. Those in whom spirit was the predominant quality were the warriors, and the virtue of such souls was courage. Together, the rulers and soldiers would constitute the guardian class. Individuals whose souls were appetitive exhibited a fondness for material things. These were the artisans, the producing class. Virtue Soul Class Wisdom Rational Rulers Courage Spirited Soldiers Temperance ‘Appetitive Artisans Gi) Myth of Metals and of the Earth-born The Myth of Metals and of the Earth-born rationalized the fact that all human beings were born of earth, and their bodies were mixed with different metals; the philosophic- rational ones were made of gold, the spirited- courageous ones of silver, and the appetitive ones of bronze. The myth was necessary to sustain the Ideal state, by convincing everyone of their rightful place in society, and the obligations. It also suggested that in spite of their differences, all individuals were born of the earth. Justice in the individual meant that every individual was assigned a place in soclety according to one’s natural aptitudes and skills In other words, justice meant departmental excellence. For Plato, resistant was the key to proper development and societal harmony. In this sense, justice was social. A just individual was also a good person. His purpose was to show ‘how ought we to live’ and tried to establish the relationship between virtue and happiness. Justice in the state meant that the three social classes performed the functions of governing, defense, and production, without interfering with the functions of the others. Justice was “one class, one duty; one man, one work”, Plato drew a parallel between the three social classes and the three elements of the human soul. Each soul had a corresponding social class. A just society recognized and educated every individual talent according to the dominant element in one’s soul. Plato understood injustice to mean interference and meddlesomeness. Any interchange in Jobs between the three social classes would bring harm to the state and was the worst evil, On the contrary, if the rulers, warriors and artisans performed their respective tasks, then such a state would be just. For Plato, human faculties were not hereditary. An individuat’s functional role in society was determined by his own natural aptitudes, and not by parental lineage. To ensure that the parents did not manipulate to get the best for their child, they were made to give up their child to the state, which in turn would categorize and educate him in the appropriate faculty that he was endowed with. This in itself was a revolutionary step, considering that all ancient societies were stratified, and Athens was no exception.Criticism (i) Nietzsche criticized Plato for founding a just and a rightly ordered society with the help of a necessary lie. (ii) In Plato's arguments, the usefulness of the social ordering never became clear. (iii) The abuses of the myth far outweighed its uses. It led to rigid class divisions where the ruler was made to look superior to the ruled. (iv) Moreover, no remedial steps to prevent manipulation by the guardians themselves were suggested.