Plato

5 Pages 1223 Words

In Plato’s parable of the misgoverned ship to a poorly run city government he believes that the ship, Athenian democracy, is headed for destruction. Each person is acting in his own interest’s not keeping in mind what he is best for the entire crew. The captain on the ship is physically stronger and bigger then all others onboard the ship, but his hearing, eyesight and knowledge of seafaring are lacking. This captain is being compared the main rulers or leaders of a city; rulers must be propionate members of their society and well as respected just like a captain must be the propionate member on his ship. The captain can not be expected to understand and run all aspects of their everyday city operation just as the ruler can not be.
Plato’s captain is not given credit for his work and functions onboard a ship. Not all captains/leaders suffer from “blindness” about what is happening under their rule. Also Athenian democracy did not have a distinct ruler that stayed in a position of overwhelming power for very long; so the captain is not represented very well.
The sailors are constantly arguing with each other, each thinking that they should be the pilot, even though none of them have education on how to navigate. They also think that navigation can not be taught, so they are constantly trying to control the captain through flattery and deceit. They are not skilled in the art of navigation and do not feel that they should have learn it because it is something that we are all inherently born with. The sailors are seeking to control the ship for their benefit and not for that of everyone on board. Once they do get control they drink and eat all the supplies onboard and do not leave supplies for trading which is their reason for sailing.
The sailors are a representation of politicians who act in their own interests. These people get in positions of power through flattery and once there suck money from the society or ...