Plato's Theory of Justice

In his classic work, The Republic, Plato puts forth a definition of justice that would be considered rather counterintuitive today. He argues that justice in both the state and the individual is basically "minding one's own business", or performing the function for which one is best suited and not interfering with others doing the same. This essay will explore why Plato thinks this is the case and how his definition is different from most people's idea of justice today.

Plato begins by saying that the ideal state must have the four traditional virtues of wisdom, courage, self-discipline and justice. Furthermore, he argues, the first three qualities are present in the state because they are present in the individual citizens of the state. In other words, because the Guardians are wise and the Auxiliaries are brave, the state is thereby both wise and brave. The state can be said to have self-discipline insofar as there is agreement among the three classes (Guardians, Auxiliaries, and businessmen), about who should rightfully rule. Having identified these three virtues within the state, Plato concludes that whatever quality is left over without a label must be the quality which makes the others possible: justice.

Plato maintains that justice is the requirement set forth at the beginning of the dialogue, that one man should do the one job for which he is naturally best fitted and should not try to do anyone else's job. That is, "Justice consists in minding your own

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end of this lengthy analysis, Plato is able to state that the basic pattern of justice is the same within the individual as within the state. It exists when each part is performing its natural role, whether that is giving or obeying orders (or causing or suppressing desire), and not trying to gain control if it has no right to do so. Plato contends that if a man is controlled by reason, with spirit and appetite properly subordinated, he will act in a just manner. However, if a man is controlled by appetite, or even spirit, he will act in an unjust manner. For instance, he says a just man would not steal or betray a friend or commit adultery because these are the acts of a man controlled by appetite, whereas in the just man each element of his personality is performing its proper function and, in effect, minding its own business. Any kind of "civil war" among the elements of either the state or the individual in which one part rebels against the whole and seeks to gain unnatural control leads to ignorance, cowardice, and undiscipline--in short, injustice. Plato concludes that justice, therefore, is a principle whose "real concern is not with external actions, but with a man's inward self, his true concern and interest" (22

Category: Philosophy - P