FREE ESSAY ON SOCRATES: DEMOCRACY AS A FLAWED SYSTEM

SOCRATES: DEMOCRACY AS A FLAWED SYSTEM

SOCRATES
DEMOCRACY AS A FLAWED SYSTEM
In Plato's Euthyphro, Crito and the Apology, we learn of Socrates' highly critical view
of the democracy. Socrates believed that democracy was a flawed system because it left
the state in the hands of the unenlightened and it valued all opinions as equal. In the
Apology, we see how Socrates believed it was his duty to stand for the law and justice
despite the wishes of The Assembly, and this cold have cost him his life. In Crito,
Socrates states to obey the laws of the State, only if they are just. It could be said
that Socrates' views on democracy and justice is what ultimately led to his death.
Socrates believed poor leaders are chosen, simply on their basis of their rhetoric
ability, not on their ethics or character. He opposed the efforts of the Sophists to
teach their students virtue, knowledge and rhetoric as practical subjects needed by
citizens to participate in the institutions of Athenian democracy. His belief on
knowledge and virtue was that these required "absolute definition" which was to be
attained through exhaustive philosophical dialogue and debate. He seemed to offend many
Athenians with his negative dialectic method; revealing people's ignorance and inability
to give definitions of truth and virtue. He believed the citizen's lack of knowledge made
it impossible for the citizen's to vote properly for their leaders or for the leaders
themselves to even run. 
In the Apology, Socrates did not want anything to do with the Thirty Tyrants and he
crossed them to the extent that his life might have been in danger, if they had not been
overthrown. Socrates was against the trying of the admirals from the battle of Arginusae.
He was the only one to refuse to do anything contrary to the laws. In his view it was his
duty to stand for the law and for justice despite the wishes of the Assembly, so he did,
at risk of prosecution or death.
In Crito, Socrates believes that an Athenian is obligated to obey the orders of the state
or its officers, unless he considers those orders unjust, "in which case he may protest
its injustice, but must consent to punishment if his protest proves unavailing."
Socrates' continued to honor his commitment to truth and morality even though it cost him
his life.
In the Euthyphro, Socrates asks "is the pious loved by the gods because it is pious, or
is it pious because it is loved by the gods?" (10A). This question can be restated as
does the state prohibit this action because it is unjust, or is it unjust because the
state prohibits it? Does this ultimately mean then that actions become right or wrong
because of society's approval or disapproval? 
In the Apology, Socrates states the only opinion that counts is not that of the majority
of people, but rather that of the one individual who truly knows. The truth alone
deserves to be the basis for decisions about human action, so the only proper approach is
to engage in the sort of careful moral reasoning by means of which one may hope to reveal
it.