The Nature and Qualities of the Guardians in Plato’s Republic
In Plato’s Republic, Socrates, in a conversation with Glaucon’s brother, discusses the traits that should distinguish a city guardian: he argues that “to be at once fierce to the country’s enemies and gentle to the citizens in their charge” as Socrates said, the guardian should have contradictory but not exclusive character traits (Plato, 375a). This dialogue suggests that the temperament of city guardians should be similar to that of watchdogs, who have “quick senses to detect an enemy, swiftness in pursuing him, and strength if they have to fight when they have caught him” (Plato, 375b).
In reality, however, this only examines the required character of the guards from one angle, namely, from the perspective of the bravery, manliness, and courage they must possess to face external enemies. This begs the natural question of what other traits the guards must have to fulfill their second function, namely, to protect the townspeople. The presence of aggressive strength and courage can lead to undesirable results when “they will destroy themselves without waiting till others destroy them” (Plato, 375d).
The Additional Trait That Balances the Guardians’ Nature
In addition to developed physical strength, guards should possess gentleness and benevolence towards the citizens. It would seem that aggressive physical strength “toward strangers” and benevolence toward “our own” are contradictory traits that can hardly coexist. However, Socrates points out that they can easily coexist not only among humans but also among animals. Thus, “well-bred dogs, as you know, are by instinct perfectly gentle to people whom they know and are accustomed to, and fierce to strangers” (Plato, 376a).
The trait that balances the seemingly opposite traits in the guardian is the love of wisdom and understanding. This philosophical love creates the space for distinctions between one’s own and strangers, helping to effectively fulfill the valiant guards’ function. This love allows the protector to know and protect himself from strangers, unfamiliar, and dangerous.
Applying Socrates’s Vision to Modern Issues of Police Violence
The solution to the dialogue can be applied to the problem of modern police violence. Law enforcers must be characterized by high moral strength and a genuine love for their own people to avoid using excessive and unnecessary violence against them. However, this solution does not account for the fact that the manifestation of this love can take different forms. For law enforcers, “their own” can be both citizens and corrupt authorities.
The first case sparks an inner desire to protect the people, even if the leaders’ orders are misguided. The second case leads to viewing society as enemies against whom violence can be used in an attempt to protect the authorities. Moreover, the lack of a clear understanding of who is “one’s own” and whose interests are prioritized creates vulnerability in Socrates’ solution. Had the Socratic answer clearly defined the people as those whose interests are consistently above the authorities and who are the direct object of the guards’ protection, a law enforcement system built on these foundations would have been more effective.
Reference
Plato. Republic. Translated by G. M. A. Grube, revised by C. D. C. Reeve, Hackett Publishing Company, 1992.