Through Socrates’ dialogue in the Republic(555b to 562a), Plato outlines his detest for democracy opining that it leads to poor leadership since leaders are dependent upon the masses and are steered by the popular opinion rather than truth, justice and right (or good). The freedom that comes with democracy may promote variety and diversity but it also leads to anarchy where everyone puts their own interests first and do as they like (557e). This is Plato’s extreme view of democracy and he rebutted democracy by promoting his ideal state, however, we currently live in a democracy and the people are free but within limitations and constraints (social, legal and moral) which ensure that the vast majority do not turn to anarchy. People in our current democracy do not always do as they wish and disregard all laws because they take into consideration other facets of their lives – for example, they work (even though they may not want to) to earn money to buy food and other necessities to continue to live in comfort, they do not break laws for fear of having to face the consequences, they do not harm and steal from each other because they empathise with other people and respect each other to a degree. So in our current democracy we are not truly free – you may be unable to see the chains that tie us, but they are apparent in our morals, our fears and pressure from our peers. But, would we want to be absolutely free?
As suggested by Plato, freedom without conditions is nothing of the kind. He said this in a social and political context, however as individuals this statement may also ring true. As Camus stated in The Fall :
“I didn’t know that freedom is not a reward or a decoration that is celebrated with champagne. Nor yet a gift, a box of dainties designed to make you lick your chops. Oh, no! It’s a chore, on the contrary, and a long-distance race, quite solitary and very exhausting[...]. Alone in a forbidding room, alone in the prisoner’s box before the judges, and alone to decide in face of oneself or in the face of others’ judgement. At the end of all freedom is a court sentence; that’s why freedom is too heavy to bear[...]. for anyone who is alone, without God and without a master, the weight of days is dreadful. Hence one much choose a master.”
Once we are without restrictions and are truly free in the eyes of the state, this means that we are responsible as individuals to make our own decisions, but is this really what we would want? Responsibility breeds pressure to perform, but in whose eyes? Who will judge us for our actions when we are free. If we are free, why do anything and how can we justify anything we do anyway and who would we justify it to? True freedom brings with it discomfort and this in itself can lead to apathy or an impasse; we don’t know what to do so we do nothing. So we must choose a master, and in the case of Plato, we are to choose his ideal state for it is the structure provided by this state (and the philosophers who rule) which provides everyone with a role to play thus leading to harmony.
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