Political Theory (Essay Sample)

Political Theory
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Institution:
State functions include making the conditions under which all members of the community feed, shelter, clothe as well as seek the right possible. According to Plato, a just society can perform its state functions while the state that is unjust, fails in its performance of the functions. In a just society, each person and class have specific obligations and duties to the community and if everyone performs these functions as expected, that results in a harmonious whole CITATION Bei99 \l 2057 (Beitz 1999).Rome and Athens are ancient city-states where urban planning is among the state functions. Transportation is, therefore, an important consideration in the two cities also the two cities are configured so as to permit military aid in all parts of the states hence ensuring security. Florence county officials face a significant problem when it comes to putting budget together and hence unable to perform its functions that range from funding sheriff’s office to running libraries.Plato explains that the general distrust of people towards their governments today, results from being motivated by self-interests and consolidating power for themselves instead of being motivated by public service for the people as well as seeking for the right of everyone. According to Plato, a good ruler must be a lover of wisdom CITATION Ham66 \l 2057 (Hammond 1966). This is because, a single wise person is considered better than many foolish people, and also the fact that governing requires expertise. He argued that a leader had to be trained in physical education which would ensure health and fitness which are a precondition for sound mind, mathematics which enhanced reason and music which would bring harmonious order in the administration of justice.According to Aristotle, leadership in a state depends on the constitution. Generally, he defines a citizen as someone who shares in the administration of justice, as well as the holding of public office. A good citizen however is the one that upholds and honors the constitution of their state. Aristotle compares a good citizen with being a good man. To be a good man, one possesses perfect virtues. One can be a good citizen but not a good man. However, according to Aristotle, a good ruler is one who possesses practical wisdom to be a good citizen, as well as a good man at the same time. Constitutions in a state are of two kinds, just and unjust. Just constitution is one geared toward bringing the well-being of every member of the state while unfair is geared toward benefitting those in power. This results in just and unjust governments respectively. Good leadership will be brought about by a just constitution CITATION Chu00 \l 2057 (Chuska 2000).Cicero analogously views leaders as shepherds. In his opinion, all the members of the states are servants of the law unlike in Plato’s argument who advocated the rule of law. In his opinion, justice only enters where there is equal power to enforce it. He asks whether a leader should be loved or feared and concludes a good leader is one who people will love and not fear. Therefore good leadership in the state, according to Cicero, will not be observed when no one is above the law, and rather both the rulers and the ones being led are servants of the law.In Dante’s view, a good leader is one that upholds the law. His preference is for a single all-powerful monarch, as this kind of political unity results in peace and consequently intellectual development that supports good leadership. Dante says that it is corruption, deception and negligence of the rulers that fails the states CITATION Gil05 \l 2057 (Gilson 2005). He argued that the human civilization should be the same for all particular civilization. In his view happiness in the universe would be brought by peace. Good leadership, therefore, existed where there was a single government for all humanity. Good leaders uphold the law and advocate for peace since it is only when people sit in peaceful tranquility that their knowledge develops.According to Machiavelli, a prudent leader is one who can anticipate problems, long before they arise. And this is brought about by careful use of the military force. He argued that in order to achieve success, a good leader should know how to do what no good person would ever do. Therefore, he says that it is important for every wrong that a ruler does in circumstances that seem necessary, he had to acquire a good reputation. In his view, a good ruler would choose competent companions who would offer honest advice. Like Cicero, he argued that a good ruler is one who is loved and should avoid hatred at all cost.In Plato’s view, injustice is a problem facing the states. Where various individuals and classes fail to perform their obligations as expected by the society and hence causing disharmony in the entire street. This has resulted to distrust of the members of the community towards their leaders since they are motivated by self-interests instead of public service CITATION Rob94 \l 2057 (Roberts 1994).In Aristotle’s view, disruption in the state occurs when the citizens fail to uphold and honor the constitution yet a constitution is what governs a state, and its provisions need to be supported by all. Also, if the law is unjust, so that it is only geared towards benefitting the people in power, it will result in an unfair government hence problems in the stateCicero’s argument is that good rulers are those that are loved by the and not feared. When the opposite happens that is they are feared and hated, there is a problem in that state. This happens when the rulers act as if they are above the law, so that administration of justice becomes an issue given that there is no equal power to enforce it.In Dante’s view, the problem would occur in the states if the governments failed to be single for all the humanity. This would mean that peace would be disrupted in the various streets, and consequently intellectual development would not take place.Machiavelli’s argument is similar to Cicero’s good reputation is required of a good ruler even when he does a wrong that seems necessary. When the reputation of the rulers is tarnished, it means that people would not love him and hence causing distrust and negative attitude towards the leaders. If also the leaders fail to choose a wise and competent council from whom they would seek honest advice, problems in the states occur.Plato and Aristotle lived in Athens. This city was referred to as the cradle of western civilization and birthplace of democracy since many prominent philosophers, writers and politicians of the ancient world were born there. During the period when the two lived, Athens collapsed as a result of Peloponnesian war in 431 CITATION Col91 \l 2057 (Collapse 1991). This war pitted Athens and her increasingly rebellious sea empire against Sparta, a coalition of land-based states. The war ended in Athens defeat after Sparta started its own Navy, and Athens lost its command over the sea. A coup in 411 also overthrew the Athenian democracy due to handling the war poorly. It was however quickly restored. After the war between Athens and Sparta ended in 404, Athens completely lost its democracy. This led to the concentration of large amounts of wealth to few, and one could now become dominant to the property he possessed. Justice was, therefore, undermined.Cicero lived in Rome and during his time; the empire was faced with problems such as military failures, climate change, and natural disasters as well as crippling taxation; personal lust for power and shattering effects of that power loss as well as greed and desire for glory. All these problems faced this empire during the period of Cicero, and they significantly contributed to its fall.Dante and Machiavelli lived in Florence city and during their time; Florence was recognized as one of the largest city in Europe, economically, politically and culturally. However, the city collapsed following the bankruptcy of the Medici Bank, which was the largest and the most respected bank in Europe.From the above philosophers, a good state is one that is just, every individual and class have various obligations and duties which they are expected to perform in the society and performing them brings a harmonious whole in the community. It has a just constitution where the rulers are concerned with public service and not motivated by self-interests. On the other hand a bad state is unjust where the individuals fail to perform their duties to the society as expected and rather choose to take advantage of the efforts of other people, for example, a thief fails to work in order to steal hence he is unjust. In a bad state the rulers are motivated by self-interests, such as consolidation of power and forget about their service to the public CITATION...