Plato’s ‘The Republic’ is a Socratic dialogue that deals with justice and how it relates to the makeup of the city-state and the righteous man.
‘The Republic’ was written circa 380 BC and has become the author’s most widely known work, as well as one of the most important documents of political theory and philosophy in general. Plato talks of the meaning of justice and muses on the question of whether or not a just man is in fact happier than the unjust man. In dialogues with Athenians, as well as outsiders, he has Socrates discuss the regimes that currently exist and others that could come into being. The potential of a city-state ruled by a philosopher king is talked of, as well as the roles of philosophers and poetry in society.