---
product_id: 1699787
title: "The Republic (Dover Thrift Editions: Philosophy)"
price: "346 kr"
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reviews_count: 13
url: https://www.desertcart.no/products/1699787-the-republic-dover-thrift-editions-philosophy
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---

# Classic philosophical text 4th century BC political thought Timeless allegory & ideas The Republic (Dover Thrift Editions: Philosophy)

**Price:** 346 kr
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🏛️ Unlock the ancient blueprint of justice and power—before everyone else does.

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** The Republic (Dover Thrift Editions: Philosophy)
- **How much does it cost?** 346 kr with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.no](https://www.desertcart.no/products/1699787-the-republic-dover-thrift-editions-philosophy)

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## Key Features

- • **Enduring Relevance:** Explore themes of governance, morality, and freedom that resonate in today’s world.
- • **Compact & Accessible:** Affordable paperback edition with evocative cover art—perfect for on-the-go intellectuals.
- • **Iconic Cave Allegory:** Experience the legendary metaphor that redefines reality and enlightenment.
- • **Dialogue-Driven Insight:** Engage with Socratic questioning that challenges your views on justice and society.
- • **Philosophy’s Cornerstone:** Dive into Plato’s foundational masterpiece shaping Western thought for millennia.

## Overview

The Republic by Plato is a seminal 4th century BC philosophical dialogue exploring justice, morality, and the ideal society through Socratic discourse. Featuring the famous cave allegory, this paperback edition offers millennial professionals a compact, thought-provoking read that continues to influence political philosophy and ethical debates worldwide.

## Description

Plato's timeless masterpiece takes readers on a thought-provoking journey, exploring profound questions about justice, morality, and the nature of reality. It is a philosophical dialogue that delves into the human soul, the power of education, and the ultimate pursuit of a good life. Famous philosophical treatise of the 4th century BC concerns itself chiefly with the idea of justice, as well as such Platonic theories as that of ideas, the criticism of poetry, and the philosopher's role. Source of the famous cave myth and prototype for other imaginary commonwealths, including those of Cicero, St. Augustine, and More. Benjamin Jowett translation. Classic Philosophical Masterpiece : The Republic by Plato is widely regarded as one of the greatest works of philosophy, offering profound insights into the nature of justice, the ideal state, and the philosopher's role in society. Influential and Timeless : A forerunner for political classics such as Cicero's De Republica , St. Augustine's City of God , and Thomas More's Utopia , Plato's Republic has had a lasting impact on political thought and continues to be studied and referenced by scholars, philosophers, and political theorists worldwide. Explores Fundamental Questions : The book delves into essential questions about the nature of reality, the pursuit of knowledge, and the relationship between individuals and the state, provoking thought and stimulating critical thinking. Engaging and Intriguing : Written in the form of dialogues, The Republic captivates readers with its engaging and accessible style, offering a fascinating exploration of ideas through Socrates' questioning of his students and fellow citizens. The Cave Myth : Plato invents the powerful allegory of a cave that illustrates the journey from ignorance to enlightenment. It depicts individuals confined in a dark cave, perceiving only shadows on the wall, until one escapes and discovers the true nature of reality, representing the ascent from the material world to the realm of knowledge and truth. Relevant to Modern Society : The Republic raises timeless questions about the nature of governance, the ethics of leadership, and the pursuit of a just society, making it highly relevant for contemporary readers interested in political philosophy and societal issues. Often ranked as the greatest of Plato's many remarkable writings, The Republic serves as an indispensable read for high school and college students, lovers of classical literature and philosophy, and anyone seeking profound insights into the complexities of human society and the pursuit of justice.

Review: A must-read - Reading Plato’s Republic felt less like reading a story and more like having a long conversation that keeps pulling you into bigger questions. Some ideas are fascinating, some are frustrating, and a few are honestly unsettling, but that’s part of what makes the book stick with you. It constantly asks what justice really means, whether people are naturally good, and what kind of society humans would build if reason actually guided it. What surprised me most is how modern parts of it still feel. Even though it was written thousands of years ago, the discussions about power, education, politics, and manipulation still connect to the world today. I didn’t agree with everything Plato argued, but the book succeeds because it forces you to think instead of just passively reading. The HarperCollins edition was also a great choice for this kind of book. I really like their pocket-sized classics because they’re affordable, easy to carry around, and don’t feel intimidating. For philosophy especially, that smaller format somehow makes dense reading feel more approachable. Republic is definitely not a light read, but it’s one of those books that stays in your head long after you finish it.
Review: Paradigm-shattering - Plato's Republic is quite possibly the most paradigm-shattering book I've ever read, second to the Bible. Some will even claim,"If you've gone through college and you haven't had at least an introduction to Plato, you've been cheated..." What I do know is that once you've read The Republic you can never look at the world the same again. Influential It's hard to overstate its influence: Augustine, Anselm, Boethius, Justin Martyr, Eusebius, (most of the church fathers), the Puritans, Jonathan Edwards, and C.S. Lewis were all deeply and profoundly influenced by Plato. Of all the Great Works of Western Civilization that came after Plato, some might ask, "Which works were influenced by Plato?" The better question is, "Which works were not influenced by Plato?" Misunderstood It is a general truth that the greatest works are often the most misunderstood. The Bible is the prime example of this, but second to that is The Republic. The primary error in interpreting this colossal dialogue, as C.S. Lewis would say, is being "concerned [more with] altering our own opinions than in entering fully into the opinion of others." So it is with the The Bible, and all other great works of literature. The Cave Many people have heard of the "cave analogy", but I'll go out on a limb and claim that even if you've heard of the cave, you might not understand it to its full extent. The reason is the testimony of a person that truly understands the cave is the one that lives free from "the shadows". The Shadows Now that we're getting into deep waters, what are "the shadows"? The shadows are those illusory "images" on the cave wall or "copies" that resemble actual objects but are not the real thing. Like a photograph they are the pixelated representation of something of "substance", but they are not the "substance" itself. They merely "suggest" or "point to" the real thing, and are, in a sense, metaphors that are "like" the objects in representation, but are not in themselves the objects, and are thus "shadows" of no real "substance". The Forms Here's where it gets heady. Plato, by use of analogy, claims that the world is, at it's essence, a "Shadow" of the "True Form". Anything physical that we can see, hear, touch, smell, or taste is a "representation" of "substance" because they all point to the "True Form". Justice This is where the discussion on Justice comes in. Plato wants to figure out what Justice is. So, in platonic style, he uses another set of analogies. The Republic The Republic is often perceived, sadly even by academics, as Plato's view of how ideal government should work, and that's all. That is true, but I'm sorry to say, that is completely missing the point. The point is that Plato's "Republic", his view of how ideal government should work, is itself an analogy for the soul. Plato could care less about an ideal government, save for the fact that he cares in so far as it will tell him about the soul. The Republic is made up of three groups of citizens: The Guardians, The Auxiliaries, and the Money-makers. They represent the three parts of the soul: The Logical, The Spirited, and The Appetitive. Justice in government, according to Plato, is when the three groups of citizens each play their proper role and no group becomes too powerful. Justice in the soul, according to Plato, is when the three parts of the soul each play their proper role and no part becomes too powerful. The Just Life This is where Plato shines in practice. Aside from speculating if there really are three parts to the soul, we do know, at least, that in our lives when wisdom becomes king, when honor becomes king, and especially when the appetite becomes king that is the foreground to an immoral life. If the Good Life is letting each part of the soul play its role, the Bad Life is letting one part of the soul reign over the other two. The gravest life is the one that is controlled by the appetite, and lives by impulses and, more descriptively "erotic love". Freedom One of my favorite points of The Republic was in Plato's description of true freedom. Most, he points out, believe that the tyrant who controls everything, and thus is able to do whatever he wishes is most free. On the contrary, he argues, the tyrant is the most enslaved of them all, namely to his own, lusts, passions, and as Plato puts it, "erotic love". True freedom, as the Bible puts it, is not the ability to do whatever you want, rather it is the power to not to. Christianity While Plato's Republic is undoubtedly the best philosophy book of all time, like all philosophies, it is incomplete, and Plato knew that. He longed to understand the substance of the True Forms and to get free of this world of Shadows, but he did not know "what" or better yet "who" was behind the True Forms. Not surprisingly Augustine picked up on this missing link, and realized, that Christianity, namely the Trinitarian God of the Bible was the One behind it all. All justice points to the Justice of God, all beauty points to the Beauty of God, all love points to the Love of God, all the Shadows of this world point to the true form of God. Some say heaven will be more "real" than this world, and the reason is, I think, that we will come face-to-face with the Substance behind the Shadows. It will be the difference between seeing someone's shadow and seeing them face to face, or seeing the imperfect form of beauty in the sunset, and meeting Beauty face-to-face. Imagine meeting Beauty or Goodness face to face. Like the apostle John, and the prophet Isaiah, I could only fall down flat on my face in worship. Why worship? Consider the happiness we find in all the temporal shadows of beauty, goodness, and truth, and then consider the true joy we will find in meeting Beauty, Goodness, and Truth face-to-face.

## Features

- Paperback with scene on front of Plato and Socrates.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #111,710 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #6 in Political Philosophy (Books) #9 in Political Reference #12 in Ancient Greek & Roman Philosophy |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 out of 5 stars 6,536 Reviews |

## Images

![The Republic (Dover Thrift Editions: Philosophy) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/81coYYt-5vL.jpg)

## Available Options

This product comes in different **Media Format** options.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A must-read
*by R***O on May 15, 2026*

Reading Plato’s Republic felt less like reading a story and more like having a long conversation that keeps pulling you into bigger questions. Some ideas are fascinating, some are frustrating, and a few are honestly unsettling, but that’s part of what makes the book stick with you. It constantly asks what justice really means, whether people are naturally good, and what kind of society humans would build if reason actually guided it. What surprised me most is how modern parts of it still feel. Even though it was written thousands of years ago, the discussions about power, education, politics, and manipulation still connect to the world today. I didn’t agree with everything Plato argued, but the book succeeds because it forces you to think instead of just passively reading. The HarperCollins edition was also a great choice for this kind of book. I really like their pocket-sized classics because they’re affordable, easy to carry around, and don’t feel intimidating. For philosophy especially, that smaller format somehow makes dense reading feel more approachable. Republic is definitely not a light read, but it’s one of those books that stays in your head long after you finish it.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Paradigm-shattering
*by S***R on July 16, 2013*

Plato's Republic is quite possibly the most paradigm-shattering book I've ever read, second to the Bible. Some will even claim,"If you've gone through college and you haven't had at least an introduction to Plato, you've been cheated..." What I do know is that once you've read The Republic you can never look at the world the same again. Influential It's hard to overstate its influence: Augustine, Anselm, Boethius, Justin Martyr, Eusebius, (most of the church fathers), the Puritans, Jonathan Edwards, and C.S. Lewis were all deeply and profoundly influenced by Plato. Of all the Great Works of Western Civilization that came after Plato, some might ask, "Which works were influenced by Plato?" The better question is, "Which works were not influenced by Plato?" Misunderstood It is a general truth that the greatest works are often the most misunderstood. The Bible is the prime example of this, but second to that is The Republic. The primary error in interpreting this colossal dialogue, as C.S. Lewis would say, is being "concerned [more with] altering our own opinions than in entering fully into the opinion of others." So it is with the The Bible, and all other great works of literature. The Cave Many people have heard of the "cave analogy", but I'll go out on a limb and claim that even if you've heard of the cave, you might not understand it to its full extent. The reason is the testimony of a person that truly understands the cave is the one that lives free from "the shadows". The Shadows Now that we're getting into deep waters, what are "the shadows"? The shadows are those illusory "images" on the cave wall or "copies" that resemble actual objects but are not the real thing. Like a photograph they are the pixelated representation of something of "substance", but they are not the "substance" itself. They merely "suggest" or "point to" the real thing, and are, in a sense, metaphors that are "like" the objects in representation, but are not in themselves the objects, and are thus "shadows" of no real "substance". The Forms Here's where it gets heady. Plato, by use of analogy, claims that the world is, at it's essence, a "Shadow" of the "True Form". Anything physical that we can see, hear, touch, smell, or taste is a "representation" of "substance" because they all point to the "True Form". Justice This is where the discussion on Justice comes in. Plato wants to figure out what Justice is. So, in platonic style, he uses another set of analogies. The Republic The Republic is often perceived, sadly even by academics, as Plato's view of how ideal government should work, and that's all. That is true, but I'm sorry to say, that is completely missing the point. The point is that Plato's "Republic", his view of how ideal government should work, is itself an analogy for the soul. Plato could care less about an ideal government, save for the fact that he cares in so far as it will tell him about the soul. The Republic is made up of three groups of citizens: The Guardians, The Auxiliaries, and the Money-makers. They represent the three parts of the soul: The Logical, The Spirited, and The Appetitive. Justice in government, according to Plato, is when the three groups of citizens each play their proper role and no group becomes too powerful. Justice in the soul, according to Plato, is when the three parts of the soul each play their proper role and no part becomes too powerful. The Just Life This is where Plato shines in practice. Aside from speculating if there really are three parts to the soul, we do know, at least, that in our lives when wisdom becomes king, when honor becomes king, and especially when the appetite becomes king that is the foreground to an immoral life. If the Good Life is letting each part of the soul play its role, the Bad Life is letting one part of the soul reign over the other two. The gravest life is the one that is controlled by the appetite, and lives by impulses and, more descriptively "erotic love". Freedom One of my favorite points of The Republic was in Plato's description of true freedom. Most, he points out, believe that the tyrant who controls everything, and thus is able to do whatever he wishes is most free. On the contrary, he argues, the tyrant is the most enslaved of them all, namely to his own, lusts, passions, and as Plato puts it, "erotic love". True freedom, as the Bible puts it, is not the ability to do whatever you want, rather it is the power to not to. Christianity While Plato's Republic is undoubtedly the best philosophy book of all time, like all philosophies, it is incomplete, and Plato knew that. He longed to understand the substance of the True Forms and to get free of this world of Shadows, but he did not know "what" or better yet "who" was behind the True Forms. Not surprisingly Augustine picked up on this missing link, and realized, that Christianity, namely the Trinitarian God of the Bible was the One behind it all. All justice points to the Justice of God, all beauty points to the Beauty of God, all love points to the Love of God, all the Shadows of this world point to the true form of God. Some say heaven will be more "real" than this world, and the reason is, I think, that we will come face-to-face with the Substance behind the Shadows. It will be the difference between seeing someone's shadow and seeing them face to face, or seeing the imperfect form of beauty in the sunset, and meeting Beauty face-to-face. Imagine meeting Beauty or Goodness face to face. Like the apostle John, and the prophet Isaiah, I could only fall down flat on my face in worship. Why worship? Consider the happiness we find in all the temporal shadows of beauty, goodness, and truth, and then consider the true joy we will find in meeting Beauty, Goodness, and Truth face-to-face.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Philosophy of logic or logical philosophy?
*by A***Y on September 1, 2022*

I always wondered if Plato’s Republic, reflecting Socrates’ reason, was the first book ever written in logic and rational thinking. The platonic way of conversation, the ancient dialogue between two, started during the ancient Greeks and entails building conclusions one after the other and one leading to the other in small logical and reasonable steps, and the second person just agrees because it is so logical and philosophically true to deny. “The Republic” logically identifies all aspects to build a strong good just educated person, government, and republic. 4* For both the simplistic and logical way of writing, the philosophy of Plato’s cave, and the birth of the logical philosophy or the “philosophy of logic.” Dr. Amir Gendy Surgeon and Author of “BETTER” and “ The Future of Medicine and the Fate of Humanity” amirgendy.com

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