Justice by Plato

Plato (427BC -347BC) was a philosopher in classical Greece. He was also a mathematician. He was the student of Socrates. He was the founder of Academy which was found in 387 BC in Athens. It was the first institution of higher learning in western World. His famous book was “The Republic”. He had written philosophical dialogue. His father name was ‘Ariston’. He traced his descent from the king of Athens, Codrus and the king of Messenia, Melanthus. His mother name was ‘Perictione’, whose family boasted of a relationship with the famous Athenian law maker and lyric poet Solor .

Main interests of Plato: Rhetoric, Art, literature, epistemology, justice, virtue, politics, education, family and militarism.

Justice by Plato

Justice having its like meaning in the world word “Myhtousness” is hinge of Plato’s political thought contained in the republic. The sub-title of Plato’s best work known as the concerning Justice. Plato sees in the application of the principle of Justice the only remedy for saving his beloved country from decay and rule, for nothing agitate his mind more than amateurishness, wholesomeness and political selfishness. That was so rampant in his state of Athens in particular and in the entire Greek world in general men and classes must be confined to their own specific duties to the state  which could only be done if justice, conceived by Plato reigned supreme in the state.

The main argument of the republic is a sustained search after the nature of just he discovers and locates justice with the help of his ideal state. He reviews various theory of justice, representing various stages in the development of conception of justice and morality finally gives his own.

Plato’s justice is not at all to be treated like legal concept. It has an ethical and a philosophical character. Plato does not take it as a matter relating to the proper enforcement of right, or claim by a court. It simply means that one individual should perform only one function and the function that is best suited to his natural aptitude without meddling with the function of other. In other words----

“Justice implies a life of the people conforming to the law of functional specialization”

Justice is no more function of the law courts; it is equality and its functions. Justice serves the  interest of the government and is therefore, the interest of the stronger.

Plato defines justice with the help of his ideal state form which justice is inseparable. Platonic justice consists in “The will to concentrate on one’s own sphere of duty, and to meddle with the sphere of others; and its habitation, therefore, is in the heart of every citizen who does his duty in his appointed place.

Justice is the conditions of every other virtue of the state and grows with specialization of function. 

“The justice of state is the citizen’s sense of duty”

Just as the justice of the state depends upon each class and each individual in the state performing its or his duties properly similarly the justice of the individual demands that’s each of the three elements in the individual i.e. reason, spirit and appetite keep within their proper bounds. Justice as a compete virtue, makes a man good by integrating a harmonizing his other virtue of wisdom courage and self-control.

Similarly there are three classes in the state, those are

1.    The philosopher king
2.    The Warriors
3.    The producing class

• The Philosopher King:  The most powerful person of the state. He controls the state by his deduction.
• The warriors: This class always involve with the war. They are very bravo. 
• The producing class: The producing classes are always involved with reproduction.

In generally when these classes do work in their own area is called justice.

“The will to concentrate on one’s own sphere of duties and not to meddle with the sphere of others and therefore its habitation in the heart of every citizen who does his duty in his appointed place”.   (Plato: the Republic – Chapter-v)

Characteristics of Justice

1. Justice is a social bond.
2. Recognition of competence.
3. Helpful to led honest life.
4. Division of society.
5. Justice is a moral rather than legal content.
6. Specialization of function.
7. It brings social welfare.
8. There is no difference in moral and political life.
9. It is an art. 
10. Justice is universal and natural.

Criticism of Platonic Justice

Since Justice, as conceived by Plato consists in discharge of function; the state is to him, in his own sense other word an organ of justice. But his state is so full of justice in this latter sense that it has no justice at all in the ordinary sense of the world.

• Plato’s conception of justice is very novel for what it includes and what it omits. It is based on self-control and self-ad negation of the individual in the interest of society. It envisages a dull uniformity and harmony of social life.
• Plato’s conception of justice makes too much a demand.
• Justice of Plato stands for non-interference between classes. But it is impossible for the ruling class not to interfere in the affairs of other classes because ruling means regulation therefore interference.

Criticism Irwin Edman

The theory of Justice is of too passive a character. It gives power to the principle so it became injustice.

Criticism of Socrates

This theory is also rejected by Socrates who points out that you may not be able to distinguish your true friends from enemies because appearance is often deceptive.

Beside these there are many criticisms about justice Theory. These are cited below------

1. Totalitarian Theory: Plato emphasis on state function rather than individual. As a result power of state increased and individual became conquered state fully. In the words of force. “Plato’s demand for suffer leaves his program at the level of totalitarians”
2. Justices Theory is Against Humanity: In this theory gave any power of polities to the producing class.
3. Supreme Power of Superior Class: In justice theory, supreme powers are given to superior class. Which is may not good for state.
4. One Man One Work: in present time man don’t involve in one work. They are directly or indirectly work in many working aspect. So one man work, should not accepted by state.
5. Reality Abandoned Classification: This theory is reality abandoned classification, because it did not give any power in one class. So it could not be justice.
6. Duties and Responsibility Without Right: in justice; had duty and responsible but it work without right. It may not be good for state.
7. Political and Moral Life is Not Similar: Because mode of behavior is varied from man to man.
8. Separate form Modern Concept: Plato’s justice theory is separate from all modern concept.

At last we can say about justice in Barker comments. To us the state is the guarantor of a legal scheme of rights and duties, securing to individual the enjoyment of their rights and exacting form individuals the performance of their duties