Plato - philosopher kings

Why does Plato maintain that philosophers should be rulers? Should they? In Plato’s most famous work ‘Republic’ he puts forward the view that only the study of philosophy would allow man to see what was good and just. Therefore to cure the ill’s of society it would be necessary to either make kings philosophers or make philosophers kings. I intend to show how Plato justifies this view and then attempt to point out …

…to some extent with Karl Poppers view that Plato allowed himself to be seduced by the idea (as many others have since) that he (and his theoretical like in the philosopher-kings) were the only ones that could see objectively and so should rule. It is a trap more dangerous, possibly, than any other and democracy (in the modern, rather than Greek sense), its antithesis, is a far safer - if far less than perfect alternative.