The Sophists and Socrates vs. American History

The Declaration of Independence, one of the most famous documents in American history, can be closely connected with the convoluted debate of the ancient rhetors in Gorgias; despite Kasttely's claim that Plato strongly disagreed with Democracy.  It has been commonly said that America’s democracy mirrored the politics of ancient Greece and Rome,  I had never examined the pre-democratic documents which allowed  America’s progression towards a democracy and have influenced the nation ever since. When reflecting on Declaration of Independence one  will usually immediately think of the quote: "we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal..."While Socrates and Callicles  debate whether men are actually created equal or if there are superior men, they do agree that justice is equal for all; “So then are the lawful usages of these people fine according to nature, since they are stronger…don’t the many customarily hold…that having an equal share is just…” (Socrates 489a pg80). While the United States’ Declaration of Independence does state that “all men are created equal,” there are still hierarchies present in our present society as discussed by the ancient rhetors. Much of our class system today is designed around levels of education as Socrates and Callicles assert: “Aren’t you saying that the more intelligent man is superior?”  To further show common class systems, while the US’ current society does not hold slavery in high regard (to put it mildly) at the time of its inception, many of the writers of the Declaration owned slaves , as did the ancient Greeks .  In fact, Thomas Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration originally described slavery politics in relation to the soon-to-be sovereign States, however these contents were unfavorable among the signers.

"He [the king of Britain] has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating its most sacred   rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating and carrying them into slavery in another hemisphere, or to incur miserable death in their transportation thither.  This piratical warfare, the opprobrium of infidel powers, is the warfare of the Christian king of Great Britain. Determined to keep open a market where men should be bought and sold, he has prostituted his negative for suppressing every legislative attempt to prohibit or to restrain this execrable commerce: and that this assemblage of horrors might want no fact of distinguished die, he is now exciting those very people to rise in arms against us, and to purchase that liberty of which he has deprived them, by murdering the people on whom he also obtruded them; thus paying off former crimes committed against the liberties of one people, with crimes which he urges them to commit against the lives of another."  (Library of Congress)

Thomas Jefferson was reportedly that the entire paragraph of the draft Declaration was removed. Under the Gorgias discussion it was recognized that slavery was a bad thing for men under tyranny .The Declaration and Gorgias both discuss “Laws of Nature” in reference to men and justice. There is also the commonality in the discussion of justice for the good of the many and the good of the individual:

“Or do these men too strive for gratifying the citizens and, for the sake of their own private interest, make light of the common interest, and associate with the peoples as if with children, trying only to gratify them, and giving no heed to whether they will be better or worse because of these things.” (Socrates 502e  pg99)

Perhaps one of the most apparent commonalities is the discussion of happiness and what it means to be happy: “He who wishes to be happy must, it would seem, pursue and practice moderation, and each of us must flee intemperance as fast as his feet will carry him; and one must most of all prepare to have no need of punishment but if oneself or some of their of one’s own—whether private man or city—needs it, one must apply the just penalty and punish, if he is to be happy.” (Socrates 507d pg105) Pursuit is a key word in both the Declaration and in Gorgias. This pursuit must not be inhibited by an overlord in either document; that in order to protect such pursuits those under tyranny should be able to speak and rebel:

"That they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its  powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

In Callicles’ words:

“It is therefore in reference to themselves and their own advantage that they set down laws and praise their praises and blame their blames .”(483b pg73) “Since how would a human being become happy while being a slave to anyone at all? No, this is the fine and just according to nature, which I am now telling you outspokenly: the man who will live correctly must let his own desires be as great as possible…Because for those for whom it is possible from the beginning to be either sons of kings or themselves by nature sufficient to supply for themselves some rule of tyranny or dynasty—what in truth would be more shameful and worse than moderation and justice for these human beings, and that they, who can enjoy the good things…should impose a master on themselves, the law and speech and blame of the man human beings? “ (492b pg84)

Popular movie which references
 the Declaration of Independence
Disney 2004)

The impact of the Declaration of Independence is astounding. It is quoted constantly by politicians, in movies, and by the general public as a document many consider a great American “Truth.” After reading Gorgias it amazes me that the founding fathers of the United States had the foresight to create another monumental document, The Constitution , as a living document; capable of being changed for a different way of thinking.  From the  analysis of the Declaration in its likeness to this Socratic Dialogue, perhaps some of the founding fathers’ prudence is due to the respect of the Sophists' for different cultural views. 

Works Cited:

"Thomas Jefferson: Declaration of Independence | Exhibitions - Library of Congress." Thomas Jefferson: Declaration of Independence | Exhibitions - Library of Congress. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Sept. 2012. <http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/jefferson/jeffdec.html>.

Plato, and James H. Nichols. Gorgias. Ithaca, NY: Cornell UP, 1998. Print.

United States. The Constitution of the United States and the Declaration of Independence. Washington, DC: U.S. G.P.O., 2009. Print.