Customer Reviews

Statesman

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Probably best known for The Republic, this is a very similar selection from Plato where he wrestles with the best form of government understanding the obvious restrictions and limitations of mankind. Plato considers the monarchy, or the benevolent rule of one good man, to be the best and most desired form of governance. A democracy, or a rule by the mob, is the least effective and desirable form according to Plato. But, without a biblical worldview in which to frame his understanding, Plato fails to recognize and account for the influence of the fall of man and man's sinful nature. Without an appreciation for divine revelation and the power of the Holy Spirit to regenerate man from his fallen state, Plato also fails to recognize the power and influence that God's Word and the presence of the Holy Spirit can have on a man's thoughts and life. While Plato limits mankind by some unknown formula so that only a few may rise to political knowledge, he finds it impossible to know whether a ruler will be a tyrant or a statesman. And while laws may confine and restrain evil, they can also hamper and restrict good. Plato's world is dominated by an appreciation for the state, but his understanding and appreciation for mankind or humanity demonstrates his shortsightedness in his approach to finding true statesmen. True statesmen are not products of their culture; in contrast they are generally those who cut against the prevailing grain of society. True statesmen have an internal moral compass pointed toward absolute truth that guides and directs even in the midst of societal blindness and confusion. Plato desires to produces these men, but his formula is lacking and deficient. The Statesman is a difficult read with mostly conversations that seem to run tangent to the real issue at hand.