One of the areas that have affected the social development of the humankind is the system of governance and justice. Various philosophers like Plato and Aristotle provided personal views on ideal forms of governance that could bring maximum benefit to society. Nowadays, people who live in developed countries officially possess equal rights and opportunities despite their gender, skin color, religious beliefs, political views, and cultural background. Unfortunately, such official position often differs from the harsh reality due to the existence of problematic issues that hinder all efforts for achieving justice in society. This situation is especially topical for the United States of America. Therefore, it would be beneficial to analyze why the American government can address the main challenges to achieving justice in society better than Platonic and Aristotelian ones would.
First, it is essential to determine what issues contribute to injustice in the United States to find possible solutions. The most problematic and important ones are a high level of unemployment, lack of quality education and medical care accessible and affordable for all groups of citizens, and a biased attitude towards African-Americans by the legislative system. The first one is harmful to individuals and the community because it contributes to growing social dissatisfaction and distress, as well as hampers the professional and personal development of individuals and the economic growth of the USA. The second issue increases tension among groups with different income levels, decreases the human capital of the country, and may lead to acts of civil disturbance and aggression. A biased attitude towards African-Americans by the law enforcement system often results in unjust sentences and violates their rights and the principle of equality.
Secondly, it is essential to review the basic principles of Platonic, Aristotelian, and American republican governance to determine why the latter is best suited for solving the problematic issues mentioned above. According to research, Plato believed that philosophical aristocracy is the best form of governance because it allows the most prominent individual enacting fair laws that promote peace and cooperation in society and prevent social distress that can lead to the destruction of the whole system. Unfortunately, the efficiency of this approach is seriously limited by the inability of a single person to be aware of all problematic issues and act impartially despite personal views and beliefs. Aristotle believed that the best form of governance is the constitutional one that preserves power with the help of force and strives to satisfy the needs of all members of a community. He also rejected democracy because people possess different intellectual potentials, and some of them are fit for making decisions, while others only hinder mutual efforts aimed at the development of society. Unfortunately, such approach cannot be considered valid because it approves social inequality and may provoke the emergence of tyranny.
The republican form of government involves electing the best individuals to serve the common good, enacting fair laws through the process of disputes, and controlling actions of elected representatives with the power to vote them out. Therefore, officials express the public opinion and make maximum efforts in solving issues that are topical for their voters. These are the main reasons why the republican government is more efficient in addressing social issues that cause injustice in American society than Platonic and Aristotelian ones.
To conclude, the main challenges to achieving justice in the USA are unemployment, affordability of medical care and quality education, and an unfair attitude towards African-Americans. The republican form of government is best suited for solving them because the elected representatives express the concern of society and strive to solve the most topical and urgent issues.
Livia Cmpbel, editior and writer at https://primeessays.com/
