Plato's dialogue opens by categorizing the arts and sciences into theoretical and practical domains, swiftly placing the art of the statesman within theoretical knowledge focused on ruling rather than manual execution. Through a methodical process of division and subdivision, the interlocutors attempt to isolate the statesman, initially comparing the royal shepherd to herdsmen of various domesticated animals. This early attempt reveals the error of improper classification and the necessity of cutting through the middle of natural classes rather than arbitrarily separating isolated parts.
To correct the definition and properly separate the true statesman from numerous competitors such as merchants, farmers, and physicians, the Stranger introduces a mythical account of cosmic cycles. The myth describes an age of Cronos when God directly guided the universe and human society lived spontaneously without labor, contrasting it with the present age of Zeus where humanity must rely on its own arts and reason. This narrative illustrates the profound difference between the divine shepherd of a golden age and the human political leader who shares the same modest breeding and education as his subjects.
Using the art of wool-weaving as a guiding model, Plato demonstrates how the statesman operates within the framework of primary and cooperative arts. Weaving serves to illustrate the philosophical concept of the mean, establishing a standard that guards against excess and defect across all human arts. The statesman's specific task is shown to be superior to written laws, because rigid laws act like ignorant tyrants unable to adapt to the infinite complexity of changing human circumstances.
While scientific governance by a wise ruler who transcends written law is upheld as the ideal, the practical reality of human imperfection necessitates laws and constitutions. Plato classifies existing governments into monarchies, oligarchies, and democracies, further subdividing them based on whether they respect or violate established laws. Monarchy under law is the best of these imperfect forms, while lawless democracy, though the weakest, is the least oppressive of the lawless alternatives.
The dialogue concludes by addressing the specific virtues required within the political community, particularly the courageous and the temperate natures, which naturally tend toward hostility. The true statesman acts as a royal weaver, employing education and proper marital bonds to blend these opposing psychological elements into a cohesive and harmonious social fabric. Through this synthesis of courage and temperance, the political art achieves the ultimate stability and well-being of the state.
