The Paradox of the Despotism and the Liberty at the Ancient Egyptian Sages and Greek Philosophers

Document Type : Original Article

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Abstract

The Political philosophers divided into two teams: The first one advocate the despotism of the ruler, the second team advocate the liberty of the people. But through the deliberative reading in political thought we find a third team who advocate both of the despotism of the ruler & the liberty of the people from the eminent representative of this team we find the sages of the ancient Egyptian thought and some Greek philosophers such as Plato, the Stoic philosophers and Cicero . 
Our theme is the study of this paradox; we mean the advocation of both the despotism of the ruler, and the liberty of the people in the same time by the sages of the ancient Egyptian thought and some Greek philosophers to show if there was really any paradox in their thought or no.
The importance of our theme due in the first place to its novelty; as it connects the thinkers of two civilizations whereas some researchers thought they differ in the nature of their nations and their religious, ethical and political beliefs… etc. But in spite of this we found that there are an idea about which the famous thinkers of the two civilizations agree, and this assure the meeting of civilizations instead of their struggle. The second reason for choosing our theme that it clarifies from one side the consistency in the political thought of the philosopher, and from the other side it clarifies the consistency of the political thought of any of the chosen philosophers with other parts of his doctrine. We use in treating our research theme the analytical, comparative and critical method. 
We arrive after research in our theme to the following results:
1-   The sages of the ancient Egyptian thought in spite of their advocation the idea of the deified pharaoh who we must obey his orders, they confess the liberty of the citizens which appear in allowing them to complain of rulers when they were harmed, and also in the gods account to them about their good & bad deeds in the otherworldly court. The advocation of people liberty and in the meantime despotism of ruler didn't contain any paradox ; as they looked to the ruler as merciful father who take care of his children so when he orders them to do something he doesn’t order for arbitrariness in them only , but because knew what was best for them.
2-   The advocation of Plato and Stoic philosophers about the despotism of the wise ruler and in the meantime the liberty of people didn’t contain any paradox in their thoughts, as they looked to the ruler as a mind which rule in accordance with knowledge of what is best for his citizens and for this reason he must be obeyed. Liberty for them had a special meaning it is to do what your mind order you to do not what you want. The advocation of Plato and Stoic Philosophers about the complete control of mind about the state affairs is consistent with their other views in their doctrines; as they gave the mind the complete control over what is under him that is in human soul, ethics and nature.

3-   Cicero agreed with Plato and Stoic philosophers in their advocation about both of despotism of the ruler and liberty of the people as he confesses as them that mind should control what is beneath him, but Cicero was more realistic than them by supposing his idea about mixed constitution which make the liberal citizens choose the despot who rule them.

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