In his work The City and Man, the political theorist Leo Strauss writes:
“The healthy city satisfies properly the primary needs, the needs of the body. This proper satisfaction requires that everyone work for his living in such a way
that he exercises only one art. This is in accordance with nature: men differ from one another by nature or different men are gifted for different, ends, and the
nature of the work to be done requires this “specialization”…All will exchange with one another their products as their products: there will be private property;
by working for the advantage of others everyone will work for his own advantage. Since everyone will exercise the art for which he is best fitted by nature, the
burden will be easier on everyone. The healthy city is a happy city; it knows no poverty, no coercion or government, no war, and no eating animals. It is happy
in a way that every member of it is happy; …The healthy city is happy because it is just and it is just because it is happy.”
Here, Strauss suggests that this first perfectly just city in speech is just that; namely, perfectly JUST, as there are no inequities, imbalances or wants. All
contribute in accordance with their talents and all share their products amongst everyone in the city. Life is largely equal and people are happy. However, as
we know, Glaucon has no interest in this First city in speech, calling it a City of Pigs, for it lacks all of the fineries of contemporary Athenian life. Socrates,
however, seems reluctant to discuss a perfectly just city that embraces human WANTS and not just NEEDS. He seems perfectly content with this first city
whereby everyone is happy and therefor Just.
Based on the Apology and Crito, do you think Socrates supports the creation of something like this “first city?” Would the basis of this city be adequate for
someone like Socrates? If yes, why? If not, why not? Or, is there a case to be made for both views? Please use at least two textual examples from either The
Apology or The Crito to make your case.
Papers should be two pages in length, double spaced. All quotes are to be noted by book, section and then page. ( ie – The Apology, XXII, p. 40) no work cited
needed.