Plato's Republic - Blog 1 - What is just for the master

 

I think that this section of the book is particularly interesting because it demonstrates why people suspected Socrates and why would his thoughts be considered controversial at that time. First, we know that Thrasymachus' idea of Justice comes from nomos (laws) and for him, the leaders are those who are stronger, and therefore they are deemed to rule over the weak. For Socrates what is just does not originate in strength but in the ideas of being noble and wise.

In this particular section of their argument, Thrasymachus is attempting to defend his idea that there are different kinds of government (Tyrannies, democracies); he makes Socrates aware of these different ways of ruling and that those who are unjust are those who do not follow the laws of their particular nation/state. He also remarks that in every government there is a ruling body (a master or masters) and there are people who need to be governed. 

Socrates' response is to remind him that people make mistakes too and that rulers are people. In this sense, Socrates is saying to Thrasymachus that because people/leaders make mistakes, there are no perfect governments, and this can cause them to issue unjust laws. With this example, Socrates is indicating that governments are not there only for those who are strong but also for those who are weak. He is also calling for a system of checks and balances, and to makes us question as citizens whether the rules set for us are indeed fair and also the character of those who have set those rules in the first place.

What this passage is saying to me is that Socrates is inviting Thrasymachus to go beyond the structure of a government and to think about the needs of the individual. We are not all Masters and we cannot all pursue positions of power, but those who do must understand and deliver justice for both strong and weak.