Theories of State: Plato and Kautilya
CONTENTS
Introduction
Plato’s Theory of an Ideal State
Kautilya’s Saptanga Theory of State
Plato vs. Kautilya- A Comparison
Conclusion
References
INTRODUCTION
A state can be defined as a sovereign political entity. We often confuse it with a Government, but while a Government forms only a part of a state, the state itself is a complex conglomeration of elements like territory, population, sovereignty and so on. In this project, we have attempted to highlight the important points in the Theories of State of two great Political Theorists, Plato and Kautilya and hence bring out the differences in their opinions.
PLATO’S THEORY OF AN IDEAL STATE
The Republic
Plato, one of the greatest philosophers that world has ever seen, lived around 428-347 BCE in Athens, Greece. Most of his political treatise is found in his Republic, which was written around 380 BCE. It was originally called the Politeia that meant ‘the order or character of political community’. Later, while translating from its Latin version, it came to be known as the Republic. The book is in the form of dialogues with Socrates as the protagonist and begins with an attempt to define justice. This, Plato accomplishes by first defining an Ideal State and then explaining what part of it constitutes justice. He then extends the definition of justice for a community to the level of an individual.
In his book, History of Western Philosophy, Bertrand Russell identifies three groups in the ten books that constitute the Republic – The first
Introduction
Plato’s Theory of an Ideal State
Kautilya’s Saptanga Theory of State
Plato vs. Kautilya- A Comparison
Conclusion
References
INTRODUCTION
A state can be defined as a sovereign political entity. We often confuse it with a Government, but while a Government forms only a part of a state, the state itself is a complex conglomeration of elements like territory, population, sovereignty and so on. In this project, we have attempted to highlight the important points in the Theories of State of two great Political Theorists, Plato and Kautilya and hence bring out the differences in their opinions.
PLATO’S THEORY OF AN IDEAL STATE
The Republic
Plato, one of the greatest philosophers that world has ever seen, lived around 428-347 BCE in Athens, Greece. Most of his political treatise is found in his Republic, which was written around 380 BCE. It was originally called the Politeia that meant ‘the order or character of political community’. Later, while translating from its Latin version, it came to be known as the Republic. The book is in the form of dialogues with Socrates as the protagonist and begins with an attempt to define justice. This, Plato accomplishes by first defining an Ideal State and then explaining what part of it constitutes justice. He then extends the definition of justice for a community to the level of an individual.
In his book, History of Western Philosophy, Bertrand Russell identifies three groups in the ten books that constitute the Republic – The first
References: Plato, Republic Russell, Bertrand, History of Western Philosophy, Routledge Classics, First Indian reprint 2010 Kenny, Anthony, A Brief History of Western Philosophy, Blackwell Publishing, 2005 Sharma, R.S, Aspects of Political Ideas and Institutions in Ancient India , 5th edition 2005 www.jstor.com