Tyranny

Within The Republic, Plato states that tyranny is “the most diseased” kind of society (Republic, 544c). Aristotle echoes this belief when he boldly asserts within Politics that great honours should be “bestowed… on him who kills a tyrant.” (Politics, 1267a15) From these quotes alone, it is clear that both share a disdain for tyranny. This essay will compare and contrast Plato (the Republic) with Aristotle (the Politics) on the causes and consequences of tyranny. In …

…s Politics provide us with some of the earliest documented theories of tyranny. While many scholars are critical of some of these insights, the two thousand years since their release have demonstrated the relevance of many of the key ideas. The contribution of these two philosophers in this and many other fields merits recognition. As Issac Newton once said, it is “only by standing on the shoulders of giants” that we have come this far.