The Problem of Consensus in Plato’s Republic

In this paper I will analyse the problem of consensus in Plato’s Republic by distinguishing two levels for it: on one hand Socrates’ persuasion of the city’s élite about the goodness of the kallipolis, on the other hand the education needed to shape the loyal citizen and ensure a lasting consensus among citizenship in its whole. In order to achieve justice, governors must be fair with the whole citizenship and justice cannot be grounded on violence and coercion alone. The reflection begins with the refutation of this point, which is Thrasymachus’, and goes on to the persuasion of Glaucon and Adeimantus; in the end the features of a proper education for the children are discussed.