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Continuing on our journey just thought of
re visiting our last topic of discussion. We saw how leaders had the capability
of influencing the world around and how in modern world the corporate are
playing the role of a leader.  Stumbling upon the topic of leader, I am sure we
all would have started thinking so how should an ideal leader be. There is lot
of material on the subject in our history and culture, Lord Ram was a case in
point. But what is intriguing is how western philosophers have thought about
the topic. One such philosopher which comes in mind is Plato. We all know Plato
was influenced by Socrates. Socrates’ death and the geo political climate of Athens, these two factors
forced him to think, write and experiment in the world of justice, morality and
political freedom.
Philosopher King, a concept more than often
critically evaluated in terms of its practicality and too utopian in nature
changed how the western world looked at leaders. Closer home probably King
Janak was the closest to be identified as a Philosopher king. But then Indian
culture had more responsive form of governance wherein kings were answerable to
the Rishi’s and ruled by the law of the Vedas & Upanishads. Philosopher
king as a concept dreamt of a perfect society, a society which grew towards
perfection not only materially but also spiritually.
So let’s embark upon another such
intriguing journey to understand the need of an ideal leader to have a perfect
society.
Premises of Plato, to understand his
concept of Philosopher king, starts with morality within an individual person. Plato
believed to understand why & how of society’s functioning, one must look
towards the king or the leader. According to Plato, the element that makes a
city corresponds to the human soul. For Plato there is no set of moral order
for the individual and other for the leaders, for he believed in such case no
one of the entire political and social system would work for the other and entire
state would be fall in a state of chaos. His political philosophy was an extension
of his philosophy of tripartite soul (he described human soul to be formed of
three elements i.e. human Reason, spirited element & bodily appetites). His
philosophy described a state having three parts namely producer class, military
class and the governing class or the guardians. Each of these three classes
performs inter alia pre defined set of duties to achieve perfection in the
society. Think these on lines of chatur varna
vyastha of Indian culture, minus the rishi / Brahmin class. Each of these
classes corresponds to the part of the tripartite soul, accordingly, producer
corresponds to appetitive element, military corresponds to spirited element and
guardians correspond to element of reason. Again to understand this one can
correlate to the three gunas as described in Bhagvad Gita. Person with Satvik
gunas will be guardians, rajasik will be military class and tamasik will form
the producer class.
Plato believed in the hierarchical
structure of governance accordingly, producers formed the bottom and guardians
formed the top of the structure. Plato was against democracy (this could be
attributed to the influence of death of Socrates and result of downfall of
Athenian society). He opined governing a society was a skill requiring
specialized and intense training. He argued we don’t go by what majority say
when we need medication for a disease then why rule of majority for the state.
What is interesting in his study is how he
describes the nurturing of each of this class for delivering a perfect society.
Plato believed that heredity had a big role to play in growth of each of these
classes. He believed a typical off spring of a guardian will be a guardian and
a producer, a producer. He argued this to lot of factors including the effect
of environment and what passes from the parents to the child. But nowhere does
he mention that there can’t be exceptions. In fact he insisted on constant
observation and testing of children’s so as to change their class if found
worthy. He also gave equal importance to women, (a rare idea even if we go by
today’s western religious order). He said, ‘Women like men, have the natural
capacities which will fit some for the ruler class, some for the warrior class
and some to be producers’.
Guardians had to be trained by education
and service to the state. Their education started with censored music and
literature for mind, gymnastics for the strength and health of the body. Next
round of education covered mathematics, astronomy and other sciences. The
education was all encompassing as Plato said ‘From the world of flux to knowing
the truth’. By the age of 30 those who have been successful in their
competitive exams and who have proven themselves to have intelligence, strength
and balance of character and bodily vigor and stamina will be moved on to the
next level. Eligible ones here will advance to study of dialectic, the highest
level of knowledge, in which by reason alone a candidate for the guardian class
will come to know of the truth. Five years will be devoted to such study. AT
this point the ones who are left in the training will be sent and compelled to
hold military or other public post. For next 15 yrs they will be tested as to
how they perform in their duty and how they handled various material
temptations. At the age of 50 those who met their last test of intelligence and
character will be admitted to the governing class with the responsibility of
governing themselves and all other class. They will have become Philosopher
king.
Obviously there is lot to the life of such
a guardian in the form of strenuous discipline, total dedication to the truth
and self denying life style. They would own nothing and belong to the state
with no family or any material objects that could create attachment or conflict
of loyalties. Through ‘Sacred marriages’ they would breed children, who if
proven right could be the next philosopher king.
Plato’s political philosophy is built on
the premises that individuals are guided by their basic nature of soul. If left
alone the most basic attribute of bodily appetite rules a man thereby creating
a worldly imbalance if left to follow democratic way of governance. Plato
believed only person who has gone through such rigors of philosophical training
with demonstrated results can be a philosopher king.
Plato’s philosophy reminds us of uncanny
resemblance to lot of philosophical concepts of Indian culture. His tripartite
soul reminds us of three gunas; his society reminds us of chatur varna vyastha and
philosopher king, the state of stitha pragyna of Gita. There is lot to discuss,
understand and argue about the philosopher king but then such a discussion will
be more academic. Our efforts are to understand how as an individual am I
suppose to live and what is that I need to give our next generation.
I leave it here today till we meet next
time with such stimulating topic, till next time happy reading and happy
thinking.
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