Question

In The Republic, Greek philosopher Plato describes Socrates’ explanation of how anything taken to excess will cause destruction: “the truth being that the excessive increase of anything often causes a reaction in the opposite direction . . . . The excess of liberty seems to pass into the excess of slavery.” Later in The Republic, Plato uses this idea to explain how states move from one form to another. He writes, “They will say that human things are fated to decay, and even the perfect State will not escape from this law of destiny, when ‘the wheel comes full circle’ in a period short or l

Answer 1

Did a part get cut off at the end??

Answer 2

In The Republic, Greek philosopher Plato describes Socrates’ explanation of how anything taken to excess will cause destruction:
“the truth being that the excessive increase of anything often causes a reaction in the opposite direction . . . . The excess of liberty seems to pass into the excess of slavery.”

Later in The Republic, Plato uses this idea to explain how states move from one form to another. He writes, “They will say that human things are fated to decay, and even the perfect State will not escape from this law of destiny, when ‘the wheel comes full circle’ in a period short or long.” States will naturally decline from an aristocracy, which he described as rule by the best, to timocracy, rule by the honorable, to oligarchy, rule by the few, to democracy, rule by the people, and then to tyranny, which is rule by a tyrant.

Do you agree with Plato’s understanding of the circle that forms of government make? Why or why not? As you explain your reasons, offer examples of this movement from one form of government to another in history. Should the decline of forms of government concern us today? What excesses of democracy might lead to tyranny?