The Republic: Themes

In LitCharts, each theme gets its own corresponding color, which you can use to track where the themes occur in the work. There are two ways to track themes:

• Refer to the color-coded bars next to each plot point throughout the Summary and Analysis sections.
• Use the ThemeTracker section to get a quick overview of where the themes appear throughout the entire work.

 Education

Socrates believes that the good of the city outweighs the good of the individual. Consequently, the object of his educational system is to produce citizens who are loyal to the city and who best fill the city’s needs. The city’s educational system identifies particularly talented individuals so they may be trained as auxiliaries (warriors), guardians, or even philosopher-kings. All children are educated identically until the age of eighteen when those destined to be producers (laborers and craftsmen) end their education. The remaining students are trained physically and militarily. Those destined to be warriors are separated from the guardians, the future rulers. The guardians are educated for several more years, until the very best, the most loyal to the city, are given further education as potential philosopher-kings.

The education system is rigidly controlled. Although literature and arts are important parts of education, only moral literature is allowed. Literature must not imitate life or be dramatic because such literature will confuse citizens and make them less useful in their particular roles. Education, especially for the guardians and warriors, is designed to encourage the good of the city as a whole, rather than the good of the family or the individual.

 Justice

Socrates’ purpose in the Republic is to determine the nature of justice, or “right behavior.” Socrates examines the nature of justice in both the individual and in the city. Socrates associates justice with structures in the human soul and social structures in the city. Justice in the individual is a state in which the rational soul controls both the spirit (the emotions) and the appetitive soul (the part associated with desires and appetites). Such a person is just, and will behave justly. Socrates states that if each citizen specifically practices his occupation, and allows others to practice theirs without interference, the city will be a just city. Each individual, by engaging in his specialized occupation, is behaving justly. Just as the rational part of the soul governs the others in a just person, the rational part of the city, that is the philosopher-king and the guardians, should govern the producers and the warriors.

 Specialization

One of the founding principles of the ideal city is that each person should specialize in an occupation that he is specifically suited for. Education encourages specialization and determines each individual’s natural aptitudes. Those with talents suitable for a specific craft specialize in that craft. Those with an ability for warfare become warriors, those with the gifts needed to rule are educated as guardians. The very best of the guardians are selected to become philosopher-kings. Each citizen engages only in the occupation he is suited for by nature and training. Plato’s emphasis on specialization extends even to the human soul, whose three parts specialize in terms of appetites, emotions, and reason. Since only warriors and guardians are taught to use arms, specialization makes armed rebellion on the part of producers unlikely. Since the guardians are not allowed to own property, they are less likely to become greedy.

 Philosopher-King

Since only a philosopher can truly know the Forms, the ideal abstracts of objects and ideas, only the philosopher has true knowledge. All other knowledge is based on the physical and impermanent. For instance, we can see particular beauty in the physical world, but it is subject to change. The ideal Form of Beauty, in the world of Ideas, is abstract and never changes. The philosopher, because he understands the Forms, understands truth and true knowledge. The philosopher-king, since he has knowledge of the Forms, and he understands how to rule, is best suited to lead.

 Soul

The soul is immortal, and has three parts. The appetitive soul is driven by lusts and appetites (for food, for wealth, for sex), the rational soul is able to think, measure, and calculate, and the spirit or will is the emotional aspect of the soul. In a just man the rational part dominates, moderating and controlling the other two parts. If either the appetite or the spirit dominate, then the man is neither just nor happy. The three parts of the soul correspond to the three classes of people in the just city. The guardians are analogous to the rational soul, the warriors to spirit, and the producers to the appetitive soul. If reason rules, with the assistance of spirit, and appetite obeys, then the individual is just. A city in which each class obeys the philosopher-king and fulfills its occupational role is a just city.

 Truth

Truth is a core virtue of the city and of the philosopher-king. Literature that shows gods and men behaving untruthfully is forbidden. Deceit is forbidden, except for the guardians who may tell falsehoods for the good of the city. True knowledge, and true philosophy, says Socrates, require an understanding of the Forms, since everything else is simply a shadowy reflection of the Forms. For instance, the Form of Beauty is the abstract, ideal, perfect, changeless Idea of Beauty. Beauty in the physical world is affected by time and change. But the Form of Beauty, in the world of ideas, is unchanging, and perfect, and true. Only the Form of Beauty is truly beautiful, since individual examples of beauty are poor copies of the Form, lacking the perfection of the Form.