Plato’s Perspectives on Society, Organization and Leadership Essay

Main views about society Plato wrote in his book called the Republic. The Republic was written around 380 (BC). In this book Plato tries to define justice, right order and character of the just city and the just man. In the Republic different philosophers like Socrates try to argue, what is the meaning of justice. They also discuss if a just man is happier than an unjust man, if they are ruled by just philosopher kings. (Brickhouse, Thomas & Smith, Nicholas, 2010) Plato view, that a just city has to be ruled by these philosopher kings. Plato believed in an aristocratic system of ruling, not the democratic way of ruling. The kings have to be educated by philosophers, so that they would be like philosophers. Or philosophers should be elected as rulers. Anyhow he did not like some much about democracy and little educated leaders. (Brickhouse, Thomas & Smith, Nicholas, 2010) Plato thinks that there are many dangers in the democracy. People do not always choose the wisest persons at the elections. Sometimes they choose those, who can speak nicely. The knowledge is not the main criteria for choosing people at the democracy, but Plato thinks that those who know should be elected as rulers. (Saarinen 1985, p.43) Plato was pessimistic about people. According to him common people were bad and acted normally irrationally. People lived according to their selfish desires and bad beliefs. People did not follow the laws by their hearts, but because they were afraid of punishment. (Plato 360 BC, p.45) According to Plato people could not live alone. They needed each other. Plato said, that it is good for people to live in communities, by this way people can exchange products. (Plato 360 BC, p.75) Plato believes that the society has to be well ordered, this will lead into good moral in the society. Fine social order and education will educate good people. These good people, who are well educated, will be better than their parents (People living before them.). (Plato 360 BC, p.117, 353, 380) Plato thinks that a human soul and society have similarities. They both have same particles. Parts of the soul are like social classes in the society. If these parts / social classes are in harmony, there will be justice. There are three different classes in the society: Productive, protective and governing class. Productive class is workers: farmers, blacksmiths, carpenters, ranchers, etc. Part of the soul for these people is appetite. Second class is protective class. These people are warriors and guardians. They are strong and courageous. Part of the soul for these people is the spirit. Third class is the governing. These people are rulers or philosopher kings. They are rational, wise, self-controlled. These people can make good decisions for the society. These people are like the reason part of the soul. These people are very few. (Saarinen 1985, p.42-43) Plato already saw corruption in the society. He said that it is needed rule of law to prevent corruption. The government and guardians have to really guard the society that the order and rule of law can exist. (Plato 360 BC, p.141) Love of wisdom should be one of main values of the society. (Plato 360 BC, p.397) There should be order, not anarchy, in the society. If there is order children can orderly live with their parents and they can learn from their parents. In the same way masters can learn from their scholars. There should be some fear between son and a father and pupil and a teacher. This fear keeps the order. (Plato 360 BC, p.328-329) Plato’s Perspectives on Organization Plato thought that there are three classes in the society, which should have a good co-operation and they should live in a harmony. According to Plato’s views organization has three different groups (classes). Somebody might also think that these groups (classes) have strict borderlines. This means that it is difficult to step from one group to another group. It is difficult to go over lines to another class at the organization. Plato sees an organization as an entity, which should be in harmony with its parts. Many modern organizational theoreticians have followed Plato, when they stress the unitary and well balanced nature of modern complex organizations. (Takala 1998, p.797) Plato thinks about the greatest evil and the greatest good at an organization. In His views evil is discord and distraction. On the other hand good is unity. There has to be unity in the organization, all the members should have common experiences (pleasures etc.). (Plato 360 BC, p.198) Justice is important thing for every organization. In the organization order brings justice and the organization has to keep the justice. (Plato 360 BC, p.6) If there is injustice in the organization, it will lead into quarrels and fights, people will become each other’s enemies. Injustice will disturb the organization’s basis for human co-operation. (Plato 360 BC, p.53-54) Obedience is an important factor at the organization. Workers should obey their masters. Everybody should live under clear hierarchy and follow the orders given by those, who are over them. (Plato 360 BC, p.36, 192, 297) Plato’s Perspectives on Leadership Plato thinks, that ruler has to be philosopher. This means, that only philosophers can be good rulers. In this way main character of a leader is his/her philosophical capacity. Leader (ruler) has to know the real being and leader (ruler) has to distinguish belief from the real knowledge. This is the highest virtue for a leader: To separate beliefs and real facts. (Saarinen 1985, p. 44) Plato thinks, that leader should love the truth. He teaches that a leader is like a captain and his ship or a doctor and his medicine. These professions (doctor, captain) cannot be practised by everyone by nature. So to be a leader is not by nature, leaders should be educated. Plato thinks that one of the main tasks for the education system is to produce these philosopher kings. (Plato 360 BC, p.233) Plato thinks that a leader has to be a just person. The stronger (leader) cannot abuse his power over the weaker. The leader has to be just and there has to be justice in the society. Leader guides this social order, so that society can live in harmony. Leader guides citizens (class of citizens) to carry out tasks for which they are suited and not interfering with the work of others. (Takala 1998, p.791) Plato sees leadership as an important part of a functioning society. He thinks that leadership is an educational catalyst in the society. Plato thinks that leader has got two important tasks: to control the implementation of education and to control the propagation of thoughts. Plato sees this controlling as an essential function in the society, that’s why the controllers must be philosophers. (Takala 1998, p.790-791) According to Plato education is needed to produce good philosopher leaders. Education leaves its mark on leaders. On the other hand education makes division between leaders and other people. Platonic education gives wisdom and mystical skills (real knowledge) to the leaders. (Takala 1998, p.792) Plato sees leadership as a duty of a philosopher. The essential thing is the true knowledge, if somebody has got the knowledge he can be the leader. The philosopher has got knowledge and he can rule. And the man, who is not philosophical, has got only a true beliefs or opinions. This corresponds that he cannot be the leader. (Takala 1998, p.792) In Plato’s thinking there is the concept of the leadership of meaning. The leader has to create meaning, he has to sustain it and sometimes it has to be changed. In this way leadership can be seen as a social process. This social process includes all those means by which leadership creates new meanings by rituals, symbolizing and â€Å"naming†. The attributes of a powerful leader is also in the Plato’s thinking. One attribute in Plato’s thinking is the charisma, which is said to be widely discussed in modern leadership theories. A leader must have charisma in order to be successful in his actions. Without it the leader is not able to do his job, to lead some complex organization. (Takala 1998, p.797) References http://www.springerlink.com/content/u348q477q0583068/fulltext.pdf