# The Political Imagination: Ancient Greek Ideas

- Institution: Gresham College
- Speaker: Professor Melissa Lane
- Year: 2023
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Earth and environment, Society and politics, Law, History, Philosophy, Literature and writing
- Source: [Gresham College](https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/series/political-ideas)
- Licence: [Educational use (Gresham College's terms)](https://www.gresham.ac.uk/terms-and-conditions)
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

Is politics merely a gaslighting of the oppressed, a cloak for the rulers to exploit the ruled? Plato’s Republic confronted the challenges of political office (archē). By working through the ideas of this dialogue and comparing them to the present day, the lecture offers a new way of understanding the role of officeholders and the ethical demands placed on them. It argues that Plato took the risk of abuse of power far more seriously than has been generally recognised.

## Lectures

1. [Plato and the Idea of Political Office](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/gresham/series-political-ideas/f0dbf459a90a) (YouTube)
2. [Ancient Greek Ideas of Justice](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/gresham/series-political-ideas/05fa8af8a0bf) (YouTube)
3. [Ancient Greek Ideas of Equality under the Law](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/gresham/series-political-ideas/111dbc5ec35d) (YouTube)
4. [Democracy: Ancient Models, Modern Challenges](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/gresham/series-political-ideas/d8875b002799) (YouTube)
5. [Experts in politics: Lessons from Socrates and Aristotle](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/gresham/series-political-ideas/4b77bcd59d03) (YouTube)
6. [Plato's Cave: Thinking about Climate Change](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/gresham/series-political-ideas/c08fce69ea50) (YouTube)