Plato's political theory must be understood with and within the period in which he lived. It is a well-established theory that the Peloponnesian War (the war between Athens and Sparta, 431-401 BC) and the death sentence of Socrates had a great influence on Plato's political disposition. Before the Peloponnesian War, Athens was experiencing its best period. With the victory of the war against Persia and under the command of the hero Pericles, the power and influence of Athens was no longer a simple city state but that of the empire. As a nation perched on the sea, Athens collected taxes from surrounding city states that were under the influence. Athens even strengthened its defensive power by building a long and solid wall, which was no easy task due to the containment of adjacent states. Other strong countries such as Sparta and Thebes sensed the risk that Athens might indeed become an empire, so they decided to attack before that happened. Pericles' funeral oration of the Peloponnesian War is one of the most famous speeches in Western history. In his oration Pericles greatly admired the courage, autonomy and patriotism of the Athenians." However, after the death of Pericles, those who instigated the repression of his opponents say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In giving birth to philosophy, the polis also gave birth to a tension between what Aristotle would have described as two lives, which are the life of politics and the life of philosophy. Since politics and philosophy were so closely linked in an ancient culture concerned with prosperity and virtue, a question arose here. Should philosophers act politically and engage in ordinary politics in existing regimes, or should they abstain from politics to live a life of pure contemplation? There was also the question of whether philosophers should think politically: was it worth thinking about human affairs in the broader perspective opened up by the study of nature and the gods? In addressing questions of rhetoric, virtue, knowledge and justice, Socrates' philosophical life was intertwined with his political life even before his death put him to the test. But for his student Plato and for Plato's student Aristotle, the practice and even study of human affairs such as politics were less divine, and therefore less admirable, than the broader study of truth about the natural and divine realms. Philosophy may have to confront politics, but its highest calling is above it. If Socrates' political destiny was part of the impetus for Plato to invent a new metaphysics and epistemology in order to articulate an alternative realm of political possibilities, Plato's dialogues show Socrates simultaneously asserting an independence for those disciplines from constraints alone politicians. The distinctive vision of politics forged in ancient Greece was marked by the historical emergence of the independent city-state and the variety of regimes it could accommodate. The polis was widely understood as the pinnacle of human civilization and the primary realm in which human fulfillment could be sought. The city was the domain of potential collaboration in leading a good life, although it was at the same time the domain of potential contestation if such a quest was understood as a pitting of some against others. Political theory began with discussions about what politics was useful for, who could participate in politics, and arguments about what were tools in civil battles for ideological and material control, as well as attempts to provide logical or architectural structures for those battles. Please note: this is just an example. Get.