The Ideal Vision of the Constitution According to Socrates: An Analysis of Critical Philosophy in the Realm of Political Law

  • Efatha Filomeno Borromeu Duarte Udayana University, Indonesia
  • Yohanes Usfunan Udayana University, Indonesia
  • Maria Virginia Usfunan Udayana University, Indonesia
Keywords: Socrates, Ideal Constitution, Elenchus, Rechsstaat, Freedom of Expression, Justice

Abstract

This study examines the vision of the ideal constitution according to Socrates, viewed from the perspective of legal and political philosophy, as well as its relevance to the modern context. The method used is normative legal research, through a statute approach and a conceptual approach. The results of the study show that Socrates, who is often labeled as  a negative thinker because  of his elenchus method, actually provides a critical framework that emphasizes justice and morality in the formation of the constitution. This review is relevant amid the challenges of corruption, oligarchy, and potential human rights violations. In practical terms, it includes the urgency of freedom of expression, leadership integrity, and the rule of law that promotes the common good (algemeen stripe). This article recommends strengthening the mechanism for testing constitutionality and the implementation of deliberative dialogue in order to achieve een ideale constitution which is in line with the principles of justice and people's welfare.

References

Aristotle. 2018. Politics (Politika): Indonesian Edition. Translated by Nusantara Team. Yogyakarta: Nusantara Publishers.

Asshiddiqie, Jimly. 2020. Indonesian Constitution and Constitutionalism Revised Edition. Jakarta: Sinar Grafika.

Dworkin, Ronald. 2020. Law’s Empire. 2nd ed. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Habermas, Jürgen. 2019. Between Facts and Norms. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Kertanegara, Hendra. 2021. “Implementing Socratic Dialogue in Indonesian Legislative Process.” Journal of Legal Studies 12(1): 55–72.

Klosko, George. 2021. The Development of Plato’s Political Theory. 3rd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Mahfud MD. 2021. Legal Politics in Indonesia (Revised Edition). Jakarta: Rajawali Press.

Nugroho, Budi. 2022. “Rule of Law and Constitutional Democracy in Post-Reform Indonesia.” Jurnal Konstitusi 19(2): 101–120.

Plato. 2021. Apology (Apologia) Indonesian Edition. Translated by Lantern Publishing Team. Yogyakarta: Lantern. ———. 2022. Republic (Politeia) Indonesian Edition. Translated by Narasi Publishing Team. Yogyakarta: Narrative.

Rawls, John. 2020. A Theory of Justice (Revised Edition). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Siregar, Muhamad. 2023. “Revisiting Socratic Method in Contemporary Indonesian Education.” Journal of Philosophy Education 5(1): 11–26.

Surbakti, Ramlan. 2022. A New Paradigm of Governance in Indonesia. Surabaya: Airlangga University Press.

The 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia (1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia). 2020. Reprint. Jakarta: State Secretariat.

Law Number 11 of 2020 concerning Job Creation. 2020. Statute Book of the Republic of Indonesia Year 2020 Number 245.

Law Number 19 of 2016 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions. 2021. Reprint. Jakarta: Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

Wicaksono, Teguh. 2021. “The Constitutional Amendment and The Principles of Democracy in Indonesia.” Jurnal Hukum & Pembangunan 51(3): 341–360.

Published
2025-02-10
How to Cite
Duarte, E., Usfunan, Y., & Usfunan, M. (2025). The Ideal Vision of the Constitution According to Socrates: An Analysis of Critical Philosophy in the Realm of Political Law. International Journal of Social Science Research and Review, 8(1), 233-240. https://doi.org/10.47814/ijssrr.v8i1.2551