Candidates for local polls should remember the principles of Socrates

“Wealth does not bring goodness. Goodness brings wealth and every blessing to the individual and State”.

The above quote is from “Last Days of Socrates” by Plato, his star pupil who wrote four plays, namely Euthyphro, Crito, Phaedo and Apology soon after the death of his beloved master.

All the plays are elevating and illuminating, one being quite bizarre. They make an interesting read.

Socrates was a philosopher born in the city state of Athens in 469 B.C. He firmly believed that moral goodness went hand in hand with wisdom. He made it his daily business to buttonhole people he met, to question them relentlessly on various subjects to elicit answers that made them think for themselves about concepts, words, beliefs and actions.

Through knowledge one should understand what is right and wrong, and a person thus enlightened Socrates said, should choose to do what is honest. He discussed at length with both the young and old, matters which needed their keen attention. He taught everyone to ponder deeply about what was morally correct, and to speak and act always with goodness in mind.

Of course this type of incisive and logical conversations made him very unpopular with the Elders of Athens, because they had to finally admit not only to themselves and to Socrates (but also to the crowd of young men who gathered as interested listeners), that their views were dishonest and lacked morality.

Wise men of Socrates’ time were called Sophists; teachers who went from place to place, airing their views and knowledge for a fee. Being a philosopher, Socrates never charged for his discussions. He said that an inner voice (God), spoke to him often, urging him to help Athenians to be good and moral.

Athens had just won a war against Persia and was bursting with activity, especially in the sphere of enterprise. Cleverness and efficiency were the goals, rather than goodness and morality. Socrates feared Athens would lose its soul in the pursuit of pampering the body. Socrates was not a good looking man, but his gaze was steady and his body strong. He went barefoot, often standing stock still lost in thought, listening to his inner voice which he said stopped him from doing wrong. His critical mind was clear and didn’t tolerate falsehood. He was said to be kind, tactful and cheerful. All seekers of truth respected him. He was, of course, beloved by his followers.

Those who lived by lying and cheating disliked him and eventually managed to bring a sentence of death upon this wise, gentle and religious man. The prosecution brought about by Meletus accused Socrates of criminal meddling – that Socrates corrupted young minds as far as religious beliefs of the times (Polytheism) were concerned. Meletus suggested that Socrates was an Atheist, a common indictment then, to bring to book/ execution philosophers. It was a time when Science and Philosophy challenged old ideas and both subjects were thought to be a threat to tradition.

But the real reason for bringing Socrates to court was that he was highlighting the shoddy and false nature of most well placed Athenians, which was an embarrassment to the Elders.

In the “Apology” (which Socrates made in his own defence) he passionately stated, “whether you acquit me or not, you know that I am not going to alter my conduct, not even if I have to die a hundred deaths.”

There was an uproar amongst the 500 representative citizens on the jury, when Socrates gave his reasons for not entering politics, a popular pastime in Athens. “If I had tried to engage in politics, I should long ago have lost my life. No man on Earth who conscientiously opposes you, or any other organised democracy, and flatly prevents a great many wrongs and illegalities from taking place in the State, can possibly escape with his life”.

Times then, almost 2500 years ago in Athens, were similar to present-day so-called democracies!

Socrates never did anything wrong or wicked. This was the reason he refused the fervent plea of his friends who promised him safe passage and a secure life outside Athens. He explained his moral obligation of accepting the decision of the court of law to Crito his old friend, who stood bewildered by Socrates’ composure on the eve of his execution.

With our local government elections coming up, the candidates should keep in focus the high moral principles of Socrates, “death should not matter to me at all, but it matters to me that I should do nothing wrong or wicked”. He proposed that morality and goodness and doing right, should override materialist opportunism.

Socrates slept soundly the night before his execution. He believed in rebirth and expected to meet others of goodness in his next life, according to Phaedo. The prison officer who handed the cup of hemlock (a fast acting poison) to Socrates complimented him saying, “you are the noblest and the gentlest and the bravest of all the men that have ever come here”, before bursting into tears.

It took only a little while for Socrates to pass away, after drinking the numbing poison which rose from his feet to his heart. This was the peaceful end of a 70-year-old philosopher, who the famous Oracle of Delphi called ‘the wisest man of his times’.