Decolonizing Political Thought: Plato's Justice and Civil Military Relations in Pakistan

Abstract

This research study employs Plato’s theory of justice to critically evaluate the civil military relations in Pakistan, which have long been marked by institutional imbalance, periodic military intervention, fragile democracy and recurring political instability.  For Plato, justice arises when the spirited, appetitive, and rational elements of the soul—as well as their corresponding social classes—function harmoniously without interference or role-transgression. By applying this classical concept of functional harmony to contemporary governance, this research study evaluates civil military disequilibrium that disrupts the institutional order. Further, through the integration of de-colonial perspective, this research also examines how colonial legacies have shaped governance structures, institutional hierarchies, and the distribution of power between military establishment and civilian authorities. By combining classical philosophy with de-colonial critique, this research study seeks to reinterpret political theory in a way that is responsive to Pakistan’s historical context, local realities, socio-political struggles, and contemporary challenges, by challenging the dominance of Eurocentric colonial frameworks.