Socrates (469-539 BC)

Amongst very few. Socrates renewed as a versatile Political genius. Whose philosophy left indelible impression on the political history of state? He is rightly known as father of ancient Greek philosophy. Who primarily advocated as Justice, truth and morality.

His Early Life:-

Socrates was born about the year 469 BC. He served in Athenian Army in many campaign of Peloponnesian war. He once held political office but later on he discontinued for the purpose of participation in political affairs of Athens. He wrote no books and established no regular school of philosophy.
He was courageous, humorous and ironical passionately fond of arguments on political philosophy and human behavior. He possessed strong moral convictions but careless of consequences. He was gifted with the powers of joining friendship especially of the young. Socrates used to indulge in discussion posing as an ignorant to incite others to display supposed knowledge.

He was a great critic of prevailing customs and state regulations. He taught his pupils to practice and adopt righteousness, truth and virtue in all disciplines of social life and state functions. His teachings were considered against the sanctimony and solidarity of city states of Greeks. He was charged for impiety and for corrupting the minds of young Athenian aristocrats disbelieving in gods of city and introducing new doctrines and deities. He was tried in the court of law and finally sentenced to death by drinking hemlock at the age of 70 years.

Teaching of Socrates:-

Socrates acquired political knowledge from heritage of Sophists. He agreed with them that the “conception of right must be subjected to the scrutiny of individual reason and not rest upon religious and upon traditional customs.” Socrates aimed at reforming his pupils and people of state by imparting moral education with a view to bringing peace and harmony based upon reason and rationale. At that time the community was on the edge of disintegration, chaos and disturbance on account of incessant warfare’s between Athenians and Spartans.

Socrates method of teaching was not to derive any knowledge from pupils but purposely creating a professional group of moral and political leaders representing aristocracy of intellect fully able to save the country from dismemberment. He was in favor of wisdom and knowledge. He was not in favor of democracy which was an impossible form of government.

View of law and state enunciated by Socrates.

Socrates was a perfect law abiding citizen of Athen and he believed in the rule of law for justice and political harmony despite the reasons that his gruesome punishment was disdainfully objected by his pupils as harsher one. He submitted himself before the court and accepted the verdict without any complaint and resistance. He vigorously asserted that escape is not the only alternative to execution.