The Role of Law in Plato's Cities

Abstract

In this dissertation, I investigate the function of law in Plato’s cities and his theoretical framework. I argue that law constitutes an essential part of the various cities Plato builds and discusses in his dialogues, facilitating good governance by connecting the knowledge of the lawgivers and the lives of ordinary citizens. I show that Plato conceptualizes law as the distribution of reason, through which knowledge is delivered to the citizens. For Plato, law provides the citizens access to the reason-driven way of life. Moreover, by demonstrating Plato’s recognition of law’s connective function in the Republic, Statesman, and Laws, I argue that Plato’s attention to law is not merely a later development, but is evident throughout his theoretical framework. Plato’s interest in law does not conflict with his idea of the rule of philosopher-rulers and the rule of reason. Law’s connective function and the rule of reason are not only compatible but can also mutually reinforce each other. This dissertation contains four chapters. In Chapter One, I explore various ideas present in Plato’s dialogues and other texts from the fifth and fourth century BCE, and show that Plato is engaging in the larger contemporary discourse on law. In Chapter Two, I focus on the Laws and reconstruct Plato’s concept of law, examine its aim, and show that Plato introduces two new elements, namely the preambles and the Daily Meeting, to strengthen law’s connective function. Chapter Three focuses on the Statesman, and I demonstrate that law is an essential part of any political system, including the best city ruled by a genuine political expert. In Chapter Four, turning to the Republic, I show that the principal structure of Kallipolis is formed by the laws, and illustrate how the process of constitutional degeneration in Book VIII occurs as the connective function of law declines.