Plato is the well known and widely studied of all the ancient Greek philosophers. This work offers a guide to Plato's political thought, influential in the modern world as well as the ancient. It discusses Plato's ideas on education, democracy and its shortcomings, the role of knowledge in government, utopia and the idea of community, and more.

The Republic is a main focus of discussion throughout, but ideas and arguments in many other dialogues from Apology and Gorgias to the Statesman and the Laws are examined. Plato: Political Philosophy assumes a broad range of readers - with backgrounds in varied fields (politics, philosophy, classics, history) - who may have little prior knowledge of Plato. It articulates and analyses his main lines of thought, illustrating them with a liberal use of translated excerpts, and highlighting affinities with modern theorists from Machiavelli and Mill to Rawls and Habermas. Schofield's distinctive line of approach to Plato's problems constitutes a lucid and accessible guide for those needing an introduction, and at the same time will provide those who know Plato well with much food for thought.

Introduction
1. The Republic: contexts and projects
2. Athens, democracy, and freedom
3. Problematizing democracy
4. The rule of knowledge
5. Utopia
6. Money and the soul
7. Ideology
Conclusion