The "Revolt of the Masses" commenced long before the twentieth century. And the only remedy to the ochlocratic/plutocratic democracy of our days is the implementation of the Platonic Polity. For unless "wisdom joins the political power", as the great Athenian philosopher has explained, the suffering of the humankind will never end.
Today, Plato’s political philosophy is more relevant than ever. Our world is ruled by a more or less “occult government” marked by “nepotistic plutocracy” and the consequent flagrant corruption. And this government exercises power thanks to support provided to them by all sorts of real or imaginary oppressed. And their method is simple, very simple. There is a huge difference between the common man and the man who is able to think. Yet, in the framework of today’s plutocratic democracy everyone, regardless of his origin, education and skills, is regarded as a human “truly having his mind at work” and accordingly entitled to have opinion on political matters. Usually, moreover, this very regime is labelled as “platonic”, but it is not. As a matter of fact, it is a perversion of Platonism. For it recognizes the problems that plague humankind today (overpopulation, environmental pollution, etc), but tries to solve them in a wrong way. According to Plato, nepotism and plutocracy bring about the destruction of the State.
Table of Contents
PROLEGOMENON
CHAPTER 1
Three Impostors?
CHAPTER 2
Plato’s Polity as the Ideal State
CHAPTER 3
The Platonic Legacy
APPENDIX
Communism and the Orthodox Church
Objectives & Topics
This work examines the historical and philosophical underpinnings of the “Revolt of the Masses” and evaluates Plato’s political philosophy as an authoritative remedy for social and political crises throughout history. The author challenges conventional interpretations of religious and historical figures, arguing that institutionalized, mob-driven religions have consistently failed, whereas a governance structure based on Platonic principles offers a sustainable path toward social order and individual virtue.
- The historical origin and sociological nature of the “Revolt of the Masses.”
- A critical reassessment of monotheistic founders and the role of religious establishments.
- Plato’s political philosophy (Politeia) as a meritocratic model versus contemporary democracy.
- The influence of Neo-Platonic ideas on the Renaissance and modern governance.
- The relationship between political power, education, and the suppression of social conflicts.
Excerpt from the Book
Plato’s Polity as the Ideal State
The Ancient Greeks tried to provide solutions to humanity's essential problems, namely those of the ideal man and State. Hippocrates was engaged with the first one, and Plato with the second.
Hippocrates (460-356 BC), the major physician of Antiquity, was born on Cos Island, in the southeastern part of the Aegean Sea. He was most likely a descendant of Asclepius (or Aesculapius), a king in Thessaly about the commencement of the thirteenth century BC, who, being the first to introduce in Greece the science of Medicine, was deified after he died.1 Hippocrates received an excellent education that was implemented thanks to the observational learning with which he constantly occupied himself. Thus, he grew to be a famous surgeon and healer. He passed away in Larissa, Thessaly, the land of his forefathers, and, in his honour, a monument was erected there.2
Hippocrates was categorical: Healthy societies rely on healthy individuals. Moreover, the conditio sine qua non of social cohesion is philanthropy; for only thanks to it can the Love of Science flourish.3 This kind of Love produces wisdom, of course; and the wise man approaches God, he grows “godlike”.4 For he is generous, decent, unpretentious, serene, self-controlled, and clean. Thus, he manages to know what is really useful for people’s lives.5
If truth be told, Hippocrates refers to the physicians; yet he alludes to all the doctors, that is to say, every educated man. Education must combine wisdom. Otherwise, learning is useless either to the individual or the society. True wisdom, in fact, leads to deep communion with the Divine.6
Summary of Chapters
PROLEGOMENON: The author traces the historical roots of the “revolt of the masses” beyond the 20th century to ancient religious figures and criticizes how mob-driven acceptance allowed for manipulated, autocratic regimes.
CHAPTER 1: This chapter analyzes the origins of monotheistic movements, challenges historical narratives surrounding figures like Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, and explores the advanced scientific knowledge of the Ancient Greeks.
CHAPTER 2: The author outlines Plato’s political vision, arguing for a meritocratic state governed by philosophers as a solution to social entropy, contrastingly compared to the “perverted” democracies of the modern world.
CHAPTER 3: The chapter explores the intellectual legacy of Plato through the Renaissance, focusing on the influence of George Gemistos Pletho and his effort to revive classical Greek values within the context of Byzantine collapse and Western European rebirth.
APPENDIX: This section investigates the historical and paradoxical alliance between the Orthodox Church and Communist regimes, illustrating the pragmatic application of “Oeconomia” in surviving diverse political landscapes.
Keywords
Plato, Politeia, Revolt of the Masses, George Gemistos Pletho, Byzantine Empire, Neoplatonism, Meritocracy, Orthodox Church, Communism, Humanism, Aristotelianism, Social Stratification, Political Philosophy, Education System
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core argument of this work?
The work argues that current political systems are experiencing a “revolt of the masses” characterized by nepotism and corruption, and suggests that returning to a Platonic model of meritocratic governance, governed by philosophers, is necessary to cease human suffering.
What are the central thematic fields addressed?
The central themes include political philosophy, historical reinterpretation of monotheistic origins, the intellectual history of Platonism, and the intersection of church institutions with political power.
What is the primary target or research question of the book?
The book questions how human society can move beyond the cycles of corruption and social strife caused by mob rule and “perverted” democracy, proposing Platonism as the superior solution.
Which scientific method is utilized?
The author employs a historical-comparative and critical philosophical method, re-evaluating ancient texts and historical events to challenge established “sterotyped” narratives.
What is covered in the main body?
The main body traverses from an critique of modern society back to the Ancient Greek roots of Platonic and Pythagorean thought, demonstrating how these philosophies informed historical Renaissance movements and continue to hold relevance today.
Which keywords characterize the work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Platonism, meritocracy, social stratification, political ethics, Byzantine history, and the intersection of religion and governance.
How does the author interpret the term “Revolt of the Masses”?
The author argues that this phenomenon is not confined to the 20th century but is an ancient process of manipulating the populace through religious or political promises, which started as early as the Hebrew Exodus.
What specific claim does the book make about the Orthodox Church?
The author claims that the Orthodox Church has historically engaged in a pragmatic “Oeconomia,” allowing it to survive by collaborating with diverse regimes, including modern Communist administrations.
Why does the author advocate for the “Polity” instead of the term “Republic”?
The author highlights that the English and French translation “Republic” wrongly implies a supremacy of the people, whereas “Polity” keeps closer to the Greek term “Politeia” and the author’s intended meaning of a non-democratic, meritocratic state.
What is the role of George Gemistos Pletho?
Pletho is presented as the vital link between the ancient Platonic tradition and the onset of the Italian Renaissance, acting as a forbearer of the national idea and a propagator of ancient Greek knowledge in the West.
- Citar trabajo
- Dimitris Michalopoulos (Autor), 2023, The Platonic Polity as the remedy to the "revolt of the masses", Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1403070
