In the beginning of book V in The Republic, Socrates argues that men and women should be equal individuals. Though Socrates tried to avoid his view on women and children he was “arrested” into presenting his view. Polemarchus and Adeimantues claim that Socrates is taking the easy way out. After Glaucon and Thrasymachus chime in their vote, Socrates agrees to discuss his argument on equality of women and children even though he feels that it is taking away time.
I found Book V interesting because of how Socrates compares women to men is still relevant in today’s society. Though Socrates points out that women and men should have equal education, that doesn’t mean he thought every woman was capable of being as smart as a man or better yet a philosopher. Women have come a long way but there is still inequality today. The perception that there is always a stronger or better man is still a common argument today.
Socrates points out that men and women can have still the same nature. Socrates argues that though women and men may have the same nature, men are naturally stronger than women. Although some women may be better than some men, there will always be a better man. “Therefore, my friend, there is no practice of a city’s governors which belongs to woman because she’s woman, or to man because he’s man; but the natures are scattered alike among both animals; and woman participates according to nature is all practices, and man in all, but in all of them woman is weaker,” (455c). By nature, men may be stronger than women but that doesn’t conclude mean that there will always be a better man compared to every woman. In the workforce men are still paid more than a woman for doing the exact same job.
However, since most Greek women were not allowed to have any role in their Society, Socrates’ idea that men and women should have the same equal opportunities seemed absurd to Glaucon. Most women were to stay at home and run their household. Occasionally they were allowed to leave in events like funerals or weddings. Even though Socrates claims that men are naturally stronger and there will always be a better man than woman at something, he still believes that men and women should be given the same equal tasks.
Focusing on Socrates’ next view, which is his argument on fairness and equality of the children, Socrates has an interesting concept/idea. “All these women are to belong to all these men in common, and no woman is to live privately with any man. And the children, in their turn, will be in common, and neither will a parent know his off-spring nor a child his parent,” (457d). Socrates suggests that men from a young-adult age to fifty-five and women from twenty to forty years old guardians reproduce in only festivals. By doing this, the offspring will have no idea who their real parents are and their best interest will be in the city. Socrates uses the guardian species because it will remain pure and there is a need for the best men to have intercourse with the best women and same with ordinary men and women.
The argument against Socrates view on how to reproduce children can be unequal, considering he divides the men and women to their class. Why can only the guardians breed within each other? Does that actually lead to a stronger outcome of children? Socrates makes these arguments about men, women, and children but could anyone actually live like this? “Do you accept the community of the women with the men in education, children, and guarding the rest of the citizens; and that both when they are staying the city and going out to war, they must guard and hunt together like dogs, that in doing this they’ll do what’s best and nothing contrary to the nature of the female in her with the male, nothing contrary to the natural community of the two with each other,” (466c). No man or woman could live without a family and romance. Socrates doesn’t think family or romance is important. The only thing Socrates thinks is important is intelligence. To Socrates the only concern men and women should have should be focused around the community and what is best for the city.
Although Socrates’ view on women is equal for Ancient Greek society, it wasn’t realistic. Women did not have many rights therefore Socrates’ argument that women should be equal to men in opportunities like education would not be realistic during that time. The same goes for reproducing children but not having a family or a significant other. Too many Greeks have other interests than being intelligent.
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