Why Plato Would Never Let Today’s Leaders Rule
Plato would reject today’s leaders because they lack the philosophical wisdom, moral virtue, and disinterested commitment he deemed essential for just governance. In his view, rulers must be expert practitioners of justice, not merely elected representatives swayed by popularity, rhetoric, or personal ambition. Plato’s vision of governance—rule by philosopher-kings—is incompatible with modern democracy, not because democracy is flawed in itself, …
