Herrschaftsbegründung und Herrschaftsziel in der Philosophie Platons

Abstract

Platon geht in seiner Argumentation von einem fiktiven Zustand aus, in dem die Menschen sich nur als Einzelindividuen gegenüberstehen. Diesem Zustand ist es vorzuziehen, daß die Individuen eine soziale und politische Gemeinschaft bilden. Die Entscheidungssituation wird von dem Vorteil des Zusammenschlusses gegenüber dem Naturzustand bestimmt. Der Zusammenschluß ermöglicht das Genießen des Besitzes und ein Leben in Frieden und Sicherheit. Die notwendige Vergesellschaftung des Menschen und damit die Staatsentwicklung wird von Platon zunächst utilitaristisch begründet. Der Staat ist für Platon im Wesen des Menschen begründet. Platons Naturrechtstheorie beruht auf der Voraussetzung, daß die Gesetze der Natur nicht widersprechen dürfen, da Naturordnung und Vernunft als identisch aufgefaßt werden. In einem schrittweisen Übergang von der naiven Kosmologie zu einer reflektierten Anthropologie hat die Kritik an Religion, Brauch und Sitte die archaische Einheit des alten Nomosbegriffs zerstört. Der Nomos ist nun eine Setzung ohne Begründung und Autorität. Ein vom Menschen allein gestalteter Nomos kann keine Seinskraft besitzen, sondern nur ein positives Recht sein, weil er vergänglich und veränderlich ist. Der Entwicklungsprozeß des Naturrechts zum positiven Rechts soll nach Platon durch den Gegensatz zwischen den Ansprüchen der Normen und den historisch-politischen Daseinsbedingungen verursacht werden. Platon versuchte, ein stabiles und gerechtes politisches System zu entwerfen. Bei Auflösung der Regierung bleibt die Gesellschaft als handlungsfähiges Subjekt erhalten. Wenn die Auflösung der gesellschaftlichen Ordnung nach Platon mit der Auflösung der Regierung verbunden ist, dann ist der Bürgerkrieg die unvermeidliche Folge. Für Platon verband sich die Ablehnung der Tyrannei der Mehrheit angesichts des Prozesses von Sokrates mit einer Ablehnung der athenischen Demokratie. Er konnte in die athenische Demokratie nach seinen Erfahrungen kein Vertrauen setzen. Folglich war die von ihm bevorzugte Verfassungsform eine aristokratische "Philosophen-Herrschaft". Und die Verfassung im Staat soll republikanisch sein, womit das Staatsprinzip der Absonderung der zu ausführenden Gewalt von den Gesetzgebenden gemeint ist. Das Volk kann nicht selbstgesetzgebend sein. Platon war davon überzeugt, daß Tyrannei der Mehrheit durch richtige Erziehung vermieden werden könne. Platon will die politische Philosophie auf die wesensmäßige Natur gründen, doch geht Platon davon aus, daß das Wissen Autorität, das politische Wissen die Macht beansprucht. Ein kasuistisches Wissen in Platons Politischer Theorie - und damit auch seine Verteidigung der "noble lie" - hat Methode. Sie gilt nicht für das individuelle Kriterium, sondern für das gemeinsame Kriterium.

In order to demonstrate his political philosophy Plato describes a fictitious situation, in which human beings are necessarily and continually at war with one other as individuals. To avoid this hostile environment the individuals must build a social and political community. This fundamental change is determined by the advantage of the community over the state of nature. The organization of community enables enjoyment of possessions and life in peace and safety. The evolution of forming a society and a nation is justified by Plato namely on the grounds of being beneficial. For Plato, the nation is justified in the nature of human beings. Plato's theory of natural right is based on the prerequisite that the law must not contradict nature since the natural law and human reason are understood to be identical. While the naive cosmology was gradually converted to the established anthropology, the archaic part of the old concept of Nomos was abandoned by the criticism on religion, tradition and custom. Then, the Nomos became a notion which did not need any grounds and authority. A Nomos formed by individual alone would not be totally acceptable and can be only positive right because it is vulnerable to the situation. To Plato, the contradiction between the demand for a norm and the historical and political existential conditions should give rise to the transformation of the natural right to positive law. He tried to design a established and egalitarian political system. For example, even if the government collapsed the society would remain sovereign itself. However, if the disruption of the social discipline and collapse of government happens at the same time, then the civil war is an unavoidable consequence according to Plato. For Plato the rejection of the tyranny of the majority is combined with the rejection of the Athenian democracy in which Socrates was executed. After some experiences he lost confidence in the Athenian democracy. As a conseqence he preferred the constitutional system of an aristocratic philosopher-ruler who combines power with wisdom. Such a government, according to Plato, should be rooted in a republic, since the people can not be the legislators themselves. Moreover, to keep democracy in power the legislative assembly that makes the laws must be separated from the executive branch which enforces the laws. Plato was convinced that the tyranny of the majority could be prevented by appropriate education. Plato would like to define nature as a basis of the political philosophy. Ethically speaking he argues that the good gives knowledge authority as it does political knowledge power. The casuistic knowledge of Plato's political theory and his defence of the "noble lie" contains a sort of sophistication. It is thought to apply to the common criterion rather than to the individual criterion. In order to demonstrate his political philosophy Plato describes a fictitious situation, in which human beings are necessarily and continually at war with one other as individuals. To avoid this hostile environment the individuals must build a social and political community. This fundamental change is determined by the advantage of the community over the state of nature. The organization of community enables enjoyment of possessions and life in peace and safety. The evolution of forming a society and a nation is justified by Plato namely on the grounds of being beneficial. For Plato, the nation is justified in the nature of human beings. Plato's theory of natural right is based on the prerequisite that the law must not contradict nature since the natural law and human reason are understood to be identical. While the naive cosmology was gradually converted to the established anthropology, the archaic part of the old concept of Nomos was abandoned by the criticism on religion, tradition and custom. Then, the Nomos became a notion which did not need any grounds and authority. A Nomos formed by individual alone would not be totally acceptable and can be only positive right because it is vulnerable to the situation. To Plato, the contradiction between the demand for a norm and the historical and political existential conditions should give rise to the transformation of the natural right to positive law. He tried to design a established and egalitarian political system. For example, even if the government collapsed the society would remain sovereign itself. However, if the disruption of the social discipline and collapse of government happens at the same time, then the civil war is an unavoidable consequence according to Plato. For Plato the rejection of the tyranny of the majority is combined with the rejection of the Athenian democracy in which Socrates was executed. After some experiences he lost confidence in the Athenian democracy. As a conseqence he preferred the constitutional system of an aristocratic philosopher-ruler who combines power with wisdom. Such a government, according to Plato, should be rooted in a republic, since the people can not be the legislators themselves. Moreover, to keep democracy in power the legislative assembly that makes the laws must be separated from the executive branch which enforces the laws. Plato was convinced that the tyranny of the majority could be prevented by appropriate education. Plato would like to define nature as a basis of the political philosophy. Ethically speaking he argues that the good gives knowledge authority as it does political knowledge power. The casuistic knowledge of Plato's political theory and his defence of the "noble lie" contains a sort of sophistication. It is thought to apply to the common criterion rather than to the individual criterion.