Republic
by Plato · Published -375
One of those books that raises fundamental questions rather than answering them: what is justice? What is good government? Who should rule? A great deal of modern debate is still wrestling with Plato.
What works
- Foundational philosophical work.
- Covers justice, education, politics and leadership.
- Introduces ideas that still shape political philosophy.
- Extremely rich for discussion and interpretation.
What doesn't
- Very long compared with modern philosophical works.
- Some political ideas are highly controversial.
- The dialogue format can make the argument feel indirect.
- Requires contextual understanding.
A just society depends on understanding what justice actually is and on aligning individual character with the proper structure of society.
One of those books that raises fundamental questions rather than answering them: what is justice? What is good government? Who should rule? A great deal of modern debate is still wrestling with Plato.
Was this useful?
Counts appear once there are 5 votes.