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What does Plato's Socrates say about democracy and tyranny?

Please help, really struggling :frown:

Did Plato's Socrates believe democracy was the best for society, and did he think tyranny was the complete opposite to this?
Only looking at The Republic and Protagoras
Thank you

Reply 1

Tyler Bam

Hey, sorry to see you haven't had any replies to your thread yet. :frown:

Are you sure you’ve posted in the right place? Posting in the specific university or course forum should help get more responses. :redface:

If you haven’t already found it, then university connect is a really useful way for finding people at your course/university! You can also find a list of applicant threads and courses here. :h:

It's worth checking out if you have questions.

If you need advice on your academic work, then the Study Help section will be able to help you. :h:

Hope this helps! :h:

Reply 2

username1743897

Original post by emmaemma

Please help, really struggling :frown:

Did Plato's Socrates believe democracy was the best for society, and did he think tyranny was the complete opposite to this?
Only looking at The Republic and Protagoras
Thank you

In book 9-10 (i think) of the republic, he says that the aristocracy that he has described as the best state eventually leads to Tyranny through the errors in the practice he has described. Discontent with a tyrannical leader who seeks to rule to acquire wealth for himself and cares little for the people, leads from tyranny to democracy which he viewed as being little more than mob rule. Democracy than led to timarchy. You are right in Democracy being the opposite of a Tyranny, but they're both bad structures according to plato

hope this helps :smile: