Book 8 Summary
In book 8 of Plato's Republic, Socrates describes four ways in which a city may be governed: timocracy, oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny. Each of these types of government corresponds to a type of man, and all are flawed because they lack balance.
Timocracy is a society in which military valor is prized above all other qualities. The rulers will be courageous and warlike, but will not be wise, and the government will therefore fail. Oligarchy, the rule of a small number of wealthy citizens, will cause division in society, so that the city will effectively become two cities: one inhabited by the rich, the other by the poor.
The poor will eventually rebel against the rich and create a democracy. Democracy is inherently flawed because no one has any clear responsibilities, and people do as they wish, without caring about their duty to the city. Such freedom degenerates into anarchy, and a strong leader will rise to power by flattering the masses. This demagogue will quickly become a tyrant and start a civil war.
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