Thucydes_And_Socrates

Thucydes And Socrates “Origins of political ideas” Thucydides and Socrates think differently about doing what is just. Thucydides believed that justice didn’t exist; to him injustice was necessary, where as Socrates believed in it and believed that one should “live a life that is just”. Justice deals with being fair; doing what is right and not wrong. According to Thucydides “justice depends on the equality of power to compel… in fact the strong do what they have the power to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.” (Thucydides, pg.402), he believes that power decides how things should be, meaning that justice doesn’t form part of any decision making. Those who have power have control over those who have nothing and thus take advantage of them. The desire for having power is what keeps these people trapped in an unjust world. But only those who are “weak” can see the injustice because they are the ones who are leaving it. For example, in the discussion between the Melian and Athenians the Melians said: “And how could it be just as good for us to be the slaves as for you to be the masters' – Athenians: “ You, thucydides, socrates, knowledge, justice, power, know, just, being, education, believed, because, republic, ignorance, god, wisdom, should, pg, injustice, doing, apology, able, in, world, wise, weak, something, seen, plato’s, out, opinion, one, man, life, himself, having