In Book 9 of The Republic, Plato explores the psychology of a tyrant or despot. Socrates explains that far from being all-powerful, the tyrant is constantly terrified of assassination and enslaved by his own paranoia, forcing him to lock himself away from his enemies.
Plato describes the despot's fear in The Republic with the following observations:
- The tyrant lives in continual panic: Socrates notes that the tyrant is "in continual danger of being killed in revenge for all the crimes he committed" against his enslaved subjects.
- He is a prisoner of his own fear: Because he is universally despised, the despot "cannot leave his own house for fear of all his enemies," essentially becoming a captive who "lives in terror".
- Paranoia shapes his life: To maintain his grip on power and protect his life, the despot is forced to constantly manufacture wars to keep the public dependent on him, and he must purge the brightest minds in the city.
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