Political and Social Problems - Essay Example

?Running Head: POLITICAL AND SOCIAL PROBLEMS School: Topic: Lecturer: presented: Introduction Political and social problems are part and parcel of the society owing to the nature of human beings and the social structures in society. One of the most common problems in any society is the prevalence of crime, both violent assaults and property crimes. High crime rate has been attributed to various factors, such as poverty, inequality, lack of moral value, greed for material things and human nature among other factors. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigations annual crime report, in the U.S. in 2011 there were 1,203, 564 assaults while property crime stood at the rate of 9,063,123 occurrences (FBI, 2012). In 2012, the rate of violent crimes rose by 1.9%. Violent crimes include murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault while property crime includes theft, fraud and destruction of property. According to these reports it is apparent that crime is a social as well as a political problem which needs attention for the sake of protection of citizens and an orderly society. The questions one needs to ask themselves imply the reasons why individuals commit crime and how crime can be dealt with. Are efforts by law enforcement authorities to curb crime bearing fruit and if not why? Should individuals be subjected to capital punishment for murder? Many political and social theorists have come up with different explanations of why individuals commit such crimes and what has to be done to solve such issues but this paper will focus on two great theorists: Machiavelli and Socrates. Machiavelli is a strong advocate of using of power to control subjects and in his work titled The Prince he advices rulers to use any means for the sake of national integrity (Machiavelli, 1996). He would thus view the problem as a threat to social stability requiring strict measures to ensure cohesion in society. For him the citizens should be obedient and if not they should be forced to do so. Socrates also believes that citizens should obey the law since by living in the state they have accepted to be bound by the rules, in other words, they have signed a ‘social contract’ with the state which should not be broken (Richards, 2000 p. 149). Furthermore, committing a crime is impiety. This paper aims to propose solutions to the political and social problem drawing from the theories of Machiavelli and Socrates. The first proposed solution is to punish the offenders through the criminal justice system. This is drawn from Socrates view that the ruled should obey laws as they are bound by them and Machiavelli’s view that government should use any means to achieve its ends. The second solution is capital punishment for violent crime especially murder. This is supported by both theorists. Machiavelli advocates use of force or violent means to achieve state ends thus capital punishment is right. For Socrates, laws must be obeyed whether they are just or unjust and this is portrayed in his trial and execution. The last solution to be discussed is for individuals to be encouraged to do good at all times. For Socrates, perfect ordering of community is enough thus justice is not needed. However, Machiavelli would oppose this view in the sense that it would result in weakening of the rulers. Crime brings disorder and harm to the society and as such should be dealt with accordingly by use of the law enforcement machineries. This finds support in the works of Socrates and Machiavelli. The work of Socrates is manifested in the works of classical theorists such as Plato, Aristotle, Xenophon and Aristophanes but mostly in Platonic dialogues (Taylor, 2001). In Plato’s Crito Socrates came up with the idea of a ‘social contract’. After being sentenced to death for corrupting the youth and impiety, Socrates was encouraged by Crito to escape the punishment but he refused opting to drink the poisonous hemlock. For him, by accepting to live in the state one is bound by its laws and as such accepts to be accused of crimes by citizens and to be judged guilty by the jury. To do otherwise is to break the contract thus causing harm to the state (West T & West G, 1998). The laws according to Plato’s republic are made by the rulers, enforced by solders and obeyed by producers. The laws in this case may be just or unjust but according to Socrates what is just or unjust, good or evil and right or wrong is relative (Rosen, 1998). Rulers can make mistakes while creating laws as what is good for them may not be good for others but since citizens are bound by these laws they have to obey them failure to which they are liable to punishment. Committing crime is breaking the law and as such deserves punishment. Furthermore, people commit crimes to gain material wealth which Socrates views as worthless. For him virtue (pursuit of self-development) is sufficient for happiness. Machiavelli on the other hand, encourages rulers to use any means to achieve desired ends (Morgan, 2005; Rossides, 1998)). If curbing crime is the goal of the state and criminal justice system as the only means to achieve this goal, it should be pursued at all cost. Machiavelli does not care if the means is moral or immoral provided the end is attained hence any form of criminal justice intervention is welcome. The second solution to the problem of crime in society especially violent crime is capital punishment. This has been an object of debate in political and social sphere for a long time with some people arguing that it is against morals while others argue it is the only way to deter people from crime (evil to be reciprocated with evil). The same view is held by Thrasymachus in Plato’s republic where he defines justice as helping friends while harming enemies (Rosen, 2005). However, for Socrates justice is not retaliation but minding own business and the business of rulers is to create laws not for their own benefit but for the benefit of society hence whatever the jury rules is just. In his own case, he was innocent but the unjust jury sentenced him to death, but he did not resist as the laws stipulated such punishment for that offense. Killing a person without justice is evil or impious and deserves death thus capital punishment is justified. Besides, death frees the soul from body thus purifying it (West T. & West G, 1998). The only caution needed is to establish facts first so that judges can save their souls by not executing people unjustly. For Machiavelli, it is better to be feared than loved as fear is constant and love is fickle (Machiavelli, 1996). The use of violence, cruelty, and fear is more preferred than justice, mercy and temperance thus the use of capital punishment to instill fear on future offenders is justifiable. No one would do something knowing well that it would mean his death. The last solution to the problem of crime is for people to choose to do what is right at all times. This was Socrates philosophy of life and the reasoning behind Socrates refusal to escape from the law in the Critos (West T. & West G., 1998). If everyone chose to do their duties then we would have an orderly society where justice is not needed. This according to Socrates is the reason behind a society divided along classes according to division of labor. In this kind of city there is no inequality or discrimination as everyone works to the common good of society (Rosen, 2005). An ideal life is spent in search of good and unexaminable life is not worth living. Individuals should stop searching for material wealth that leads them to crime in favor of self-development so that they can lead a happy and fulfilling life free of vice (Richards, 2000). In this regard, education for the youth is critical in helping the youth to improve themselves for state’s good. Machiavelli would never propose such a solution to a very serious disturbance to harmony in society. For him nothing can be left to chance or luck. Humans have to control their own destiny thus instead of the ruler just sitting and waiting for people to be good, he has to take action to prevent crime. Besides, human by nature are selfish, and greedy for profit thus prone to crime (Machiavelli, 1996). Though these solutions are efficient in curbing crime they also have some short-comings. The first solution proposed was the use of criminal justice system or laws. Socrates himself admits that what is just or unjust, good or bad, right or wrong depends on human discretion. In the Euthyphro he states that even the gods do quarrel about these things in his famous statement “is pious loved by gods because it is pious, or is it pious because it is loved” (West T. & West G, 1998, n.p). It is the people who make laws that criminalize certain acts and as such laws are not the best in curbing crime. Furthermore, justice depends on the rhetorical skills of the defense. Those who know sophistry argue their cases well thus exonerating their clients from guilt and punishment thereof. This in turn encourages them to continue with criminal activities. Machiavelli himself does not even believe in justice hence use of the justice system may be useless as he prefers use of force and cruelty. Who determines what is good or evil? If the rulers do not know the truth then they are not capable of judging or may judge people unfairly just as they did to Socrates. However, as Socrates notes people are bound by laws and must obey them whether just or unjust if order is to be maintained in society (Taylor, 2001). Even Machiavelli admits that the values of citizens are different from those of the state hence citizens should strive to be good. On the issue of capital punishment, though Socrates accepted the death sentence he also argues that an injustice should not be repaid with injustice (Richards, 2000). As such, killing someone for committing a crime is not justifiable as there are other ways of making the criminals repent. Although the ends justify the means according to Machiavelli, it is not always the case. Sometimes the means cannot be justified especially if the person is sentenced to death unjustly without the truth being considered. However, considering the pain the families of victims go through after losing their loved ones, these individuals are not worth living hence capital punishment is justified as a lesson for others who are thinking of doing the same. Lastly, Socrates proposes living a good life free of crime but in the Apology he admits that he “could not tell people how to live their lives when he did not understand how to live his own” (West T. & West G, 1998). He sees himself as a midwife trying to teach the youth to discover the truth on their own even though he himself does not know the truth. What is good is relative and also people have different understandings of what is right or wrong, thus, may end up committing crime out of ignorance. Individuals being self-interested in nature cannot escape doing what is wrong as long as they will benefit from it and as long as they know they will not be punished for it. To let them control their own lives without laws is therefore dangerous as it would be survival for the fittest. However, primitive societies lived without any laws and were able to live harmoniously thus even today if only all human beings could be moral crime would be a thing of the past. Conclusion Crime is a serious political and social problem that needs to be dealt with adequately. Innocent people lose their lives or property all the time because some try to satisfy their selfish desires. This problem can be eliminated through the criminal justice system, capital punishment and by living a good or worthwhile life, everyone according to his work. Machiavelli and Socrates are two important theorists who can help us understand this problem and how to eliminate it. Through their discussions on what is right or wrong and how to deal with political and social problems, they shed light on various issues. First, citizens do have a social contract with the state which should not be broken no matter the circumstances. Laws are there to be obeyed however just or unjust they may be. However, the judges also have a duty to assess all truth before committing an injustice. In our courts today, it all depends on the skills of the defense just as portrayed by Aristophanes in the play the clouds and the Apology by Plato. Machiavelli also advices the rulers to set goals, focus on them and use every means to achieve them. If the government focused on social problems, then it could find ways of dealing with them permanently. References FBI (2012). Annual Crime Report in the U.S, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2013, from http://www.fbi.gov/new/stories/2012/october/annual-crime-in-the-u.s-report-released Machiavelli, N (1996) Machiavelli and his Friends: Their Personal Correspondence. Illinois: North Illinois University Press. Morgan, M.L (ed) (2005) Classics of Moral and Political Theory. 4th edn. Indianapolis, IN: Hackett Publishing. Richards, I.A (2000) Plato’s Republic. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press Rosen, S (2005) Plato’s Republic: A Study. London: Yale University Press Rossides, D.W (1998) Social Theory: Its Origins, History, and Contemporary Relevance. New York, NY: Rowman & Littlefield. Taylor, C.C (2001) Socrates: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press West, T.G and West, G.S (1998). Four Texts on Socrates. USA: Cornell University Press Read More