Comparison Between the Ring of Gyges Story and John Stuart Mill: The Theme of Justice

Introduciton

There is a great similarity when comparing the Ring of Gyges story and Mill's viewpoint. In the Ring of Gyges story Justice is used as the main character of interest in man whereby Mill does the same but calls it liberty. The story elaborates how just a man is uncommon compared to unjust one by giving a story of a shepherd who managed to get magical powers from a magical ring and could turn himself to be invisible. He used the power to kill the King but with the queen's help and then took over the throne. This is unjust as the story of the Ring of Gyges, which is also called individualism by John Stuart Mill. Mill further explains it as the authority which is not based on the will of the majority but a few; in this case, it was the shepherd and the queen alone. Mill continues by stating that justice which he refers to as liberty and authority could only be achieved by availing a chance for everyone's voice to be heard in the community. Therefore, it was wrong of the two people taking the kingdom for themselves in the story whereas the king's place should have been a position given by the majority of the community (Dorbolo; On Libert-John Stuart Mill).

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The story also identifies that the unjust are more compared to the just whereby the unjust find ways of oppressing the just that are the weakest in the society. Mills agrees with him in the same way by explaining that leadership comes from the majority. However, this brings in a social tyranny whereby the minority is isolated and do not get a chance to voice out their opinions in the leadership. Justice is, on the other hand, has been discussed as the intent to do well, this is also mentioned by Mill when he states that liberty is trying to ensure that everyone is treated equally and fairly. Moreover, this has been captured by the progress that the society has been undergoing over the years to ensure that there is social progress. However, the modern or evolved way of doing things has threatened the enhancement of liberty or justice as per the story (Brwon; On Libert-John Stuart Mill).

Justice in the current world evolves between having a victim and a perpetrator of the crime as per the story which Mill identifies as the new conditions that the society has placed to deny the weak liberty. In the story of the ring of Gyges, the unjust are placed in the authority, and they use their wealth and riches to ensure that the weak would not get justice. The unjust man has a big name but corrupt morals while the just man has a good name and his life only. Mill identifies this set up as political liberty. Whereby there is an attempt to reduce the power of the autocratic ruler. Mills continues by saying that the desire of every community is to be united (On Libert-John Stuart Mill). This perception, however, is held dearly by the majority who are the weak and oppressed ones. In the story, they are identified as those who have good intentions and motives but lack the power and machinery to implement their desires in the society (Dorbolo). Mill encourages democracy in the society which is similar to what the story rejects selfishness and unjust factors. Therefore the two are using different ways to pass on a similar message of enhancing unity and justice in the community.

Work Cited

Brwon, Eric. "Plato's Ethics and Politics in The Republic." 12 September 2017. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2 July 2018 <https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-ethics-politics/>.

Dorbolo, Jon. "Plato: Ethics-The Ring of Gyges." 2002. Great Philosophers. 2 July 2018

<https://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl201/modules/Philosophers/Plato/plato_dialogue_the_ring_of_gyges.html>.

"On Libert-John Stuart Mill." 21 August 2013. Academy of Ideas. 2 July 2018

<https://academyofideas.com/2013/08/john-stuart-mill-on-liberty/>.