The Republic is a dialogue that questions the effectiveness of democracy and serves as the foundation upon which all political thought rests. After the death of Socrates, Plato took it upon himself to express his dissatisfaction with this political system and its exploitation in ancient Greece. Democracy in Athens was controlled by the sophists or those who, instead of seeking the truth, spread propaganda in the polis in order to consolidate power. In conflict with the state agenda, Socrates was accused of corrupting the youth, because his quest for truth was based on a relational pedagogy, thus engaging many open-minded young people in the agora through the dialectic. During the trial in the Apology, Socrates makes it clear that the path of the sophist is a state worse than death: “I take my leave, convinced by the truth of wickedness and injustice. And just as I accept my penalty, so must they. “Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get an original essayIn contemporary society, citizens must heed the words of Socrates and remain steadfast in the pursuit of truth, even if they are confronted by those who remain bound by chains. of ignorance and indifference. Before being born, a philosopher is an unconscious prisoner in Plato's allegory of the cave. Beneath the surface is a cave with human beings, since birth, chained by the neck and legs, prohibiting any movement. Next to them is a wall that casts the shadows of many people and objects created by a large fire. Bound by these constraints, the prisoners are unaware of the existence of a fire or of anyone besides themselves. The shadows on the wall in front of them are therefore the ultimate reality; the numbers are not shadows, but rather an undeniable truth for every prisoner. However, at the side of the cave there is an entrance or exit to the underground dwelling which is indicated by its rays of light visible only once the opening is viewed. Setting the framework for his analogy, Plato uses the character of Socrates to describe what would happen if a prisoner were freed from his chains. Naturally, the cave dweller would be pained by the bright lights illuminating the cave exit. Leaving the shadows, the prisoner begins by examining the things he is able to see because the sun is too bright to look at. However, its rays illuminate the truth of the world and he begins to realize that the shadows are a false reality constructed by the workings of the cave. After illustrating the division of each reality, that inside the cave and that outside, Socrates further develops the allegory by having the former prisoner return to the cave. Upon entering the cave, the former prisoner no longer sees shadows, only the darkness perceived by being exposed to the brightness from outside. No longer valuing what the prisoners consider to be reality, he is labeled as corrupt and ridiculed for his absurd beliefs. The allegory of the cave illustrates the Athenian democracy which condemned Socrates to death. The prisoners are the former Greek citizens, bound by the chains of ignorance. The people holding the original objects near the fire are truth-distorting sophists who, through fire or broadcast systems, propagate shadow-pictured propaganda, which is believed by the prisoners to be the truth. Through the allegory of the cave, Socrates or rather Plato wants to allow others to understand the chains that currently prevent them from valuing truth over ignorance. This taking of.