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SCHOFIELD, M., Plato. Political Philosophy. Oxford University Press, 2006. 1st ed. X,344p. Original dark blue cloth with dust wrps. Upper edge a bit foxed. With authors intention to Jaap (Mansfeld). Signature from J. Mansfeld and date on free endpaper. Series: Founders of Modern Political and Social Thought. Nice copy. ‘This book is an outstanding contribution to our understanding of Platonic political philosophy. (…) This dense yet readable book combines historical exactness with modern perspectives, avoids moral condemnation and absurd eulogy alike, and deals with scholarly problems without losing sight of the philosophical issues at stake. (…) S. Shows brilliantly how the harsh Platonic critique of democracy still has relevance for our modern problem of the authority of knowledge in government: (…). S. Reads Plato as a serious political philosopher whose political solutions have been outdated for the most part but are never superficial answers to superficial problems. Hence the fruitfulness of some of S.’s references to modern political philosophers (Hamermas, Rawls, Walzer) or to economists (Keynes, Hayek) which confirm the ongoing need to engage with Plato on political matters as such. Reading S. Will give the non-specialist a clear sense of why Plato is still an indispensable political thinker’ and the more expert reader will feel relieved not to on once again through the familiar narrative of Plato’s development in political matters. (…) S. Argues convincingly that in political philosophy there is no essential modification in Plato’s thought. This allows him to concentrate on some leading themes running through the main political dialogues and some of the so-called Socratic dialogues. In consequence, the organisation of the volume is refreshingly original: S. Leads his reader from the broad context of Athenian democratic history to the ‘Republic’ and from there to the main themes of Plato’s political thinking (knowledge, utopia, money and ideology). (DIMITRI EL MURR in The classical Review (New Series, 2008, (pp.58-59). € 115.00 (Antiquarian) ISBN: 9780199249619