

Who should guard the guardians? Can we find rulers who don’t want to rule? With Melissa Lane
Oct 18, 2024
Melissa Lane, Class of 1943 Professor of Politics at Princeton University and author of "Of Rule and Office: Plato's Ideas of the Political," shares intriguing insights into governance. She tackles the age-old question of 'who guards the guardians?' and explores the potential for abuse by those in power. The discussion highlights Plato's views on the cyclical nature of political systems, from democracy's decline to tyranny, and emphasizes the critical need for honor, accountability, and institutional safeguards in leadership.
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
1 2 3 4 5 6
Intro
00:00 • 5min
Exploring Juvenile's Conundrum: Safeguarding Political Power
05:06 • 2min
The Service Conception of Rule
07:32 • 15min
Timeless Lessons from Plato
22:13 • 5min
Plato's Political Cycle: From Democracy to Tyranny
27:31 • 11min
Reviving Honor and Accountability in Leadership
38:14 • 4min