Plato and Immigration Essay Example

something that must be looked at far deeper than the surface level. Since experts, those who know the good, are the only ones who should be allowed to make decisions, Plato would say to consult them on the matter. However, finding an expert in immigration can prove troublesome. If finding an expert on immigration were not possible, Plato would advise to look elsewhere for some type of expert that can govern on such matters. Since the policy deals with currency, a potential candidate to look to for guidance could be an expert economist.

The economist however cannot have family ties to the situation for that would lead to a governance through emotion, an approach Plato would completely dismiss. The economist should be rational and make decisions based on the greater good, that is what is “just”. Despite the individual who would make the final decision, the judgment should be made to benefit the society as a whole. With the case of immigration, how will allowing the illegal immigrants to stay, or forcing them to be deported affect the rest of the community is something to take into account.

Instead of what is “right” or “wrong”, the decision for this policy should be based on what illegal immigrants are bringing to the table and what value they take away that could affect society. “[L]aw does not exist for the exclusive benefit of one class in the city. Its aim is to engineer the benefit of the city as a whole, using persuasion and compulsion to bring the citizens into harmony, and making each class share with the other classes the contribution it is able to bring to the

community” (519e). Coming to an agreement on the policy may not be an easy task.

While Plato believes that policies should be made to create harmony and efficiency within society, any type of immigration policy would increase the population. In that case, Plato would completely dismiss the policy all together, claiming that the excessive population would increase deficiency within the city. All in all, it is hard to conclude on how Plato would approach the immigration regulation. Whichever path Plato would take, it can be concluded that justice will be served. Works Cited Ferrari, G. R. F. , ed. Plato: The Republic. Trans. Tom Griffith. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2009. Print.