00:00Plato, Aflatoon, the architect of Western philosophy.
00:27Plato, known as Aflatoon in several South Asian traditions,
00:31was a pivotal figure in ancient Greek philosophy. Born around 427 BCE in Athens,
00:38he was a student of Socrates and later became the teacher of Aristotle,
00:42forming a trio that laid the foundational stones of Western philosophy.
00:47Plato's works, primarily written in the form of dialogues, cover various aspects of philosophy,
00:52including ethics, politics, metaphysics, and epistemology. His famous texts such as
00:58The Republic explore ideas about justice, the ideal state, and the philosopher king.
01:03Through the establishment of the Academy in Athens, one of the earliest institutions of
01:08higher learning, Plato significantly influenced the intellectual discourse of his time and
01:12continues to be a central figure in philosophical studies today.
01:15Plato, who was a famous Greek philosopher, said about two and a half thousand years ago that if
01:22any of the two classes of society, the merchant class and the military class, advance and seize
01:27the rule, the state will be destroyed. Will definitely come. His ideas are still of great
01:33importance today and his philosophical insights have had a profound impact on politics, economics,
01:38and social structure. Business Class
01:42Plato emphasized the dangers of merchant class rule. According to him, businessmen put their
01:48own interests first. When businessmen rule, their first priority is to increase their wealth and
01:54business. In this type of governance, public interests are put on the back burner and the
01:58state system becomes based on concentration of wealth and selfishness. As a result, inequality
02:04increases, public discontent develops, and social unrest ensues. Military Class
02:11Plato also described the disadvantages of military rule. According to him, military rulers place more
02:18emphasis on warfare and the use of force. When the military class rules, an atmosphere of militancy
02:24and repression is created in the state. Such governance suppresses public liberties, destroys
02:29democracy, and violates human rights. As a result of military rule, fear spreads in the state and
02:36people lose faith in the government. Plato's Ideal State
02:41Plato in his book, The Republic, presented the concept of an ideal state in which the ruling
02:45class is called the philosopher king. To them, a philosopher king is one who makes decisions based
02:51on wisdom, morality, and justice. He neither lusts for wealth like a merchant nor for power like a
02:56soldier. The philosopher king prioritizes public interest and promotes social justice. In the
03:03context of the present era, this prediction of Plato proves true even in today's era.
03:10In many countries where the business class or the military class is ruling, there are problems like
03:15social inequality, corruption, oppression, and popular discontent. In these circumstances, in the
03:21light of Plato's ideas, we need to understand that the main purpose of governance should be public
03:26service and the establishment of justice, not the pursuit of personal interests. Plato's words are
03:31still a beacon for us today. His insights teach us that governance requires individuals based on
03:37the principles of wisdom, justice, and public service. Unless governance is based on such
03:42principles, real progress and prosperity will not be possible in the state.
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