“The fundamental issue of the Republic is the discovery of Nature and habitation of Justice.” Discuss this statement and examine Plato’s Conception of Justice.

Republic as the implementation of idea of Justice .Justice has been described as the first virtue of a society, by Rawls.It is the most fundamental basis on which the edifice of every state is built.

• A State can continue so long as people consider it just.
• The importance of the theory of justice in Plato’s work can be seen as even the subtitle of the masterpiece. ‘The Republic’ is ‘Concerning Justice’.
• Justice is the main ideal that Plato aspires for, because it signifies stability and has external character, and goes about incorporating it in his Republic.

The main concern of Plato was to create Athens as an ideal State. For Plato, the State was the ideal, of which justice was the reality. The methodology used by Plato to arrive at this was dialectics. Through his book Republic written in the form of a dialogue. Plato arrived at some observations.

Justice was not simply doing your duty, but also a source of virtue. Moreover, it was better to be just than to be unjust. Plato believed that it was important to understand.

God’s idea of justice to arrive at the perfect idea of justice. He explained through the myth of souls, in which reason was the most important, as how to structure the society and generate a just order. This would distribute functions in society so that each individual contributes his own part to making a just society. Moreover, since the state is individual writ large. The principle of justice would also be embodied by the State.

Thus, just a State, for Plato, was based on division of labour and functional specialization. It exhibited non-interference and regarded temperance as a virtue. Such a state would not only create excellence but also lead to harmony.

The republic is a book of encyclopaedic nature with theory of education, Communism, philosopher King, etc. However, the most important idea which remains the underlying factor is Justice.