The State in Political Utopia
Description
Although utopias have been subject to various criticisms and are considered impossible theories, they are an important type of political philosophy because they are popular fictions about the future, a description of the ideal, a critique of the period in which they were written, and a reflection of the epistemologies of philosophers. In the history of philosophy, the first known utopia related to political philosophy is Plato's work The Republic. From Plato to the present day-in terms of content, political utopias, utopias of fear, historical utopias, etc. Many utopias, classified under different names and types, have been written. The formation of the state, its duties and powers, the relationship between the people and the state, the characteristics that people who govern the state should have, the fundamental elements of the state and their duties, etc. These issues are the fundamental issues of political philosophy. Why have human beings always tended to create a society? Why has the individual restricted his freedom from others, by his own will? What qualities does the person or persons who will lead the society possess or should possess so that people obey them even in situations that are unfavorable to them? Among the management models, which is the ideal management model that will ensure the happiness of the society? What are the basic criteria of laws and the army, which are the fundamental elements of the state? Which of the peoples and leaders gives priority to the other in the formation of the ideal society? This study aims to reveal the answers to these and similar questions in the context of political utopias. Because the views of philosophers in their works on political philosophy, written on the basis of the real situation, and their views on utopias where the ideal is represented, may differ from each other. The best example of this is the difference between some of Plato's views in his two works The Republic and the Laws .