Book Five – Building the City as a Family

As part of being human, we live in families, communities, and cities. These groups are where we find our identity. Unity among the members of these communities is essential.

We must be guard ourselves to make sure what we do is the best for the community. Only the men and women whom are best for each other should marry. Those who are married will produce the children, which will be the next generation of the community. We need to have the best guardians and the best leaders. Just like this, in Book Five of Plato’s Republic, Socrates understood the importance of protecting the city of today and ensuring a great city of tomorrow; protecting against the forces and factions that could tear it apart.

At the start of Book Five, Socrates was about to move onto something else but Adeimantus felt that there was one major spot of the city that had not been covered yet. Adeimantus wanted to know how marriage and children within the guardians would be handled. He says, “…we’ve been waiting all this time supposing you would surely mention begetting of children.”

First they talk about the differences between men and women. There are obvious physical differences. Are men and women different by nature? They agree that people should be assigned jobs according to their nature. In the end, men and women have the same level of humanity and are able to accomplish the same things. They should both be allowed to be guardians and fight in battles.

The next question is how will men and women marry. Marriages will be “sacred in the highest possible degree.” The law will mandate a festival and sacrifice for a marriage. Poets will come and make hymns. Marriages are to be arranged by the ruler of the land. The city must make sure that only the best procreate so that the best children are produced.

Once the offspring are produced, they do not get to see their parents. It would be bad to possibly allow the offspring to be influenced by their parents. They must be rushed off and taught what is justice and how to be a guardian of the city.

When parents produce a child, they are passing their legacy to the next generation. Children are the greatest contribution two people can make to the city. The next generation will determine its success or failure.

There needs to be the best people in the city so that the city will survive. The city will be like a family. Factions within a city are like factions within a family. Factions will tear a city apart. Bust just like a family, life is so much sweeter when life can be experienced together.

Glorifying personal appetite for vice and self-interest is a main cause for faction within a community. If the guardians want to be successful, they need to steer clear of their personal appetites and of self-interest.

We have our city. Men and women are fighting together against the enemy, for the good of the city…the family. The city needs a leader. Socrates offers the idea that the ruler of the city needs to be both a master of politics and of philosophy. He needs to be able to govern with forethought, prudence, justice, and truth. Socrates said, “…but they are like philosophers…the lovers of the sight of truth.”

The long-term success of the city is largely dependent on the people that are in it. The relationships that are formed within the city, who marries whom, and the children that are born will all form the character of the city. A city must also have a great leader. We must protect the city of today and ensure a great city for tomorrow.