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Plato’s Republic and J.S. Mill
1. The success of any society relies greatly on its strategies or approaches of facilitating and ensuring justice and morality. In the Republic, we note Plato emphasizes on the moral health of the community. His other concern was the art, which he was of the opinion it influenced one’s soul through its persuasions. He observed that citizens exposed to symbols of evil they gradually embrace the evil into their souls especially, if guidance or direction is lacking. For instance, animals grazing in the pasture of poisonous herbs without any attention are likely to consume the toxic flora that will eventually cost their life. Relating this scenario to any community, the SparkNotes Editors write,
“if you surround a soul with unwholesome influences, then gradually the soul will take these in and sicken” (SparkNotes Editors) thus justifying the need of guidance in the society.
In this case, morality refers to the adherence to the norms or standards of the society. Whereby the society expects an individual to do what it terms as right in a given context. In the case of justice, it is part of ensuring moral health by treating any individual fairly as envisioned by the society. The society expects that every individual must be responsible wherever one is and in whatever one does. In addition, a person has to play his or her role as desired by the community that he or she comes from. For instance, Plato points out that an ideal society consists of three classes of people namely the producers (like farmers and artisans), the auxiliaries (like warriors) and the guardians (like rulers). The SparkNotes Editors, note that
“a society is just when relations between these three classes are right” (SparkNotes Editors). This is by the producers using their skills to make the products as expected of them. The rulers governing the communities as enshrined in the laws of the land and the auxiliaries ensuring the society abides by the ruler’s convictions. The crucial aspect here is specialization where every member of the society sticks to what one is to do (SparkNotes Editors).
We observe all the classes aforementioned in a perfect society comprise of people. These people have the body, mind and soul. However, the concern in this case is the soul, the immortal part of a human being. Plato argues that the soul of a human has three parts just like the society as earlier noted. This is in a bid to equate societal justice to individual justice. These parts of the soul are the rational part, the spirited part and the appetitive part. The rational part strives for the truth and accounts for the individual’s philosophical leanings (SparkNotes Editors). The spirited part desires integrity and it is liable for one’s feelings of annoyance and resentment. Third is the appetitive part, which is responsible for the desire of all kinds of things more so the money as a medium of getting most of the requirements. The SparkNotes Editors observe,
“In a just individual, the rational part of the soul rules, the spirited part of the soul supports this rule, and the appetitive part of the soul submits and follows wherever reason leads” (SparkNotes Editors) .Therefore, we note that the three parts complement each other in having a just individual as in an equitable society.
The society as earlier said consists of individuals who play various roles. Moreover, these persons have souls comprising of its three parts. Therefore, the part dominating their souls guides them. For instance, the appetite for money, luxury and pleasure directs the producers. The spirits leads the warriors who show courage. While for the leaders rationality dominates, thus they strive for wisdom (SparkNotes Editors). The observation then is for any society to be just its individuals must be just. In fact, fairness starts with the individual. That is one has to be equitable to himself or herself by ensuring whatever one does is within his or her abilities, interests and value systems. Otherwise, the individual is likely to break because of frustrations thus will replicate the resentment to those he or she interacts with them. This is evident when a person cannot manage relationships whether in the family, work and in the society as a whole.
“ Poets, he claims, appeal to the basest part of the soul by imitating unjust inclinations” (SparkNotes Editors).He observes that poetry elicits dishonorable emotions as individuals sympathize with the characters in the poems. According to him, this motivates us to embrace the same feelings in life. Therefore, Plato argues that poetry makes us unjust. Traditionally, the Greeks conceptualized justice from poetry as acts that people were to follow. It depicted those who did the right rewarded while the wrong doers punished. On the contrary, the people disagreed with this visualization. For instance, they observed the unfair people were doing well in life while the just lagged behind. Although, literature is the mirror image of the society by showing what transpires in it, here it falls short of conviction power.
What the soul consumes is very important because it will promote moral health in an individual. Education influences the conditioning of the soul this is by determining the kind of images and ideas that the soul may embrace. In addition, it dictates the type of activities, which the soul can engage in or not (SparkNotes Editors). Consequently, the environment that one interacts with should support the learning of the good values of the society. In this case, any community must have control measures to mitigate the chances of having undesirable exposures to the soul. Plato compared the case of the soul consuming the unwanted, to the sheep exposed to poisonous grass that they will feed on by and by thus get sick and finally die. Similarly, with the soul exposed to the unacceptable it will gradually adjust and ultimately conform to this unjust.
On the other hand, J.S. Mill is of the view that we should leave an individual to pursue one’s interests provided they do not interfere with those of others. He believes that individuality promotes creativity and diversity hence the society should nurture this value (Wikipedia). In this case, Mills justifies the need of the society to prescribe the expected conduct of its people in the society. We note that societies should provide an enabling environment to have its people exploit their potentials. For instance, the producers should access the factors of production with ease to create the products required by the society. Similarly, those in governance should give them an opportunity to participate in the decision-making process and formulation of the policies. On controlling the wrong, Mills proposes that governments should punish the individual for failing to fulfill something to others and not the neglect behind the wrongdoing.
In conclusion, we note the society consists of individuals hence for a just society the people must also be fair. Similarly, the society is morally healthy if its people observe the principles and practices of justice. The society must inculcate the right values in its subject through its education system. Let it cultivate individuality but also have control mechanisms to uphold the desirable and counter the wrong deeds. Therefore, the agents of socialization must support each other to ensure that the individuals are not confused but simply learn similar concepts all through.
Work Cited
"John Stuart Mill." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 6 Nov. 2013. Web. 11 Nov. 2013.
SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on The Republic.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2002. Web. 11 Nov. 2013.
