Law and Political Authoritarianism in Plato’s Statesman
Abstract
Abstract In this article I explore how Plato balances the power of ruling elites and masses in the Statesman and assess whether the political system in which the political expert rules and which Plato considers to be the only correct political system is best classified as authoritarian or antiauthoritarian. After developing a framework for discussing political authoritarianism in Plato, I argue that the rule of the political expert is strongly authoritarian and that an integral part of Plato’s political authoritarianism in the Statesman is his disregard for the value of the rule of law. I defend my interpretation against two recent antiauthoritarian interpretations of the dialogue advanced by Melissa Lane and John Cooper.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Classical Philosophy and Thought
Philosophical Ethics and Theory
Classical Antiquity Studies
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Polis The Journal for Ancient Greek and Roman Political Thought
- Volume
- 43
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 120–141
- Publication date
- 7 January 2026
- Language
- EN