Statesman

Translated by Benjamin Jowett

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"Statesman" by Plato is a Socratic dialogue that follows the action of the "Sophist." The work depicts a philosophical conversation seeking to define what makes a true statesman, distinguishing this figure from both sophist and philosopher. Through dialectical investigation and the method of division, the interlocutors explore whether genuine political power requires specialized knowledge of just rule—or whether most rulers merely imitate such wisdom without possessing it. The dialogue raises questions about who should govern and why.

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