Western Political Theory Social Sciences Coursework

World Political Theory
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World Political Theory
1) Is Plato’s political theory democratic, conservative, communist, fascist, authoritarian or totalitarian? Support your explanation by making reference to specific aspects of his political theory. Be specific!
Plato’s political theory is totalitarian. A totalitarian form of government is one that attempts to assert control over all aspects of life. There is the use of force or coercion and suppression of any dissent. For such a government, individual freedom is not entertained and people’s voices are silenced.
First of all, Plato believed in the idea of philosophic men. He considered the presence of these men as a necessity for any society. He believed that there had to be “philosophic men to apprehend the Idea of the Good/ Form/ Just system.” These individuals have to be given the power to carry out reforms as they are the only ones he deemed capable. What this means was that the majority would be left out of the government. Their opinions and contributions would be deemed short of the brilliance exemplified by the philosophic men. So, in Plato’s world, the philosophic men were the only people with the knowledge and understanding of the political system.
Aside from the above, Plato had an alternative which mainly included a king who ought to “create the ideal system without the consent of the people.” To Plato, only a few people had the knack for leadership and reforms. The majority he described as being “morally blind,” and this necessitated the presence of the few philosophic men. Unlike democratic societies where the majority get to decide who to assume positions of leadership, Plato believed in a system of governance that neglected the thoughts and opinions of the majority in favor of a few distinguished men. To him, reform was only possible if the majority “submit” to the authority of the few. Of course, the above gifts room for the development of measures and reforms that reinforce the power and sovereignty of the few.
2) Describe Aristotle’s theory of political stability. How relevant is his theory to present day’s politics? Support your explanation by making reference to specific aspects of his theory. Be specific!
Unlike Plato, Aristotle did not believe in the idea of a philosopher-king or philosophic men. To him, reforms would only be realized through “balanced constitutional or institutional arrangements.” The presence of a monarch who oppresses people should not be entertained. The idea of a central government which works to wear down its people and showcase the strength and authority of a few ...