Laws (Book I) by Plato
This post is part of my journey through the classic texts of Western civilization.
Coming off of Plato's magnum opus, Republic, in our journey, we continue onto Plato's lesser known dialogue, Laws. It is the longest of Plato's dialogues.
The first thing to note is the absence of Socrates in this dialogue; in his place we instead find the Athenian Stranger, who takes on a similar role. Just like in Republic, we see the Stranger conversing with a couple friends, specifically in this case a Cretan and a Spartan.
The Stranger's friends begin with describing the laws of their own land, coming to the conclusion that a well-governed polis is to focus on the ability to conquer in war. The Cretan claims that all poleis are in reality constantly at war with all others poleis. Thus, laws are to be directed towards the end of conquest. For the Stranger, however, this leaves much to be desired, for laws ought to be directed towards the development of all virtue. Thus begins a discussion on how laws may do so.
Though that is all I have to say on book I, I draw our final attention to one important point, and that comes at the very end of the book, being the last sentence spoken by the Stranger:
"And this knowledge of the natures and habits of men's souls will be of the greatest use in that art which has the management of them; and that art, if I am not mistaken, is politics."
We would do well to take this truth seriously. Politics starts with the understanding of human nature (anthropology). For how can one properly govern and manage men if one does not understand them?