The Purpose of this paper is to consider the legal aspect of Plato’s political thought with special attention to the characteristics of his political philosophy in the hope of offering an alternative interpretation of his political thought, and try to argue that seemingly conflicting elements of his legal thought, especially the rule of wise man and the rule of law, can be understood as inter-supplementary normative elements which are finally integrated into “a good legal order”(eunomia). In chapter II, it is argued that the structure of Plato’s political philosophy consists of two elements, one of which functions, at horizontal dimension, continuously to accomplish complete congruity among various elements of a specific political order(a model state), and the other of which functions, at vertical dimension, to formulate various model states respectively corresponding to specific human and historical conditions. In chapter III, on the basis of my argument in chapter II, it is argued that the rule of wise man and the rule of law should be understood as being inter-supplementary with each other, co-participating in sovereignty. In chapter IV, it is demonstrated that “a good legal order”(eunomia) Plato tried to achieve is a totally congruent normative order into which various normative elements of political community are finally integrated, continuously inter-playing with each other circularly and supportively. In chapter V, Plato’s political philosophy, with a proviso that it needs to be adopted to modern pluralism, might be expected to suggest an alternative direction for a viable normative practical philosophy to take, in response to today’s highly specialized ones.

The Purpose of this paper is to consider the legal aspect of Plato’s political thought with special attention to the characteristics of his political philosophy in the hope of offering an alternative interpretation of his political thought, and try to argue that seemingly conflicting elements of his legal thought, especially the rule of wise man and the rule of law, can be understood as inter-supplementary normative elements which are finally integrated into “a good legal order”(eunomia). In chapter II, it is argued that the structure of Plato’s political philosophy consists of two elements, one of which functions, at horizontal dimension, continuously to accomplish complete congruity among various elements of a specific political order(a model state), and the other of which functions, at vertical dimension, to formulate various model states respectively corresponding to specific human and historical conditions. In chapter III, on the basis of my argument in chapter II, it is argued that the rule of wise man and the rule of law should be understood as being inter-supplementary with each other, co-participating in sovereignty. In chapter IV, it is demonstrated that “a good legal order”(eunomia) Plato tried to achieve is a totally congruent normative order into which various normative elements of political community are finally integrated, continuously inter-playing with each other circularly and supportively. In chapter V, Plato’s political philosophy, with a proviso that it needs to be adopted to modern pluralism, might be expected to suggest an alternative direction for a viable normative practical philosophy to take, in response to today’s highly specialized ones.