Illiberalism and Plato's Cave

Through an analysis of Plato's cave allegory I found there to be an interesting parallel between the shadows and illiberalism. In the cave allegory there are prisoners who are chained down and constrained to a wall. They have been in the cave their whole life--the cave, to them, is life and all that life encompasses. They know of nothing different because they were brought up in this cave and have never left. Of particular interest to me, there is a fire. In front of the fire there are puppeteers who hold objects up that, in turn, make a shadow of these objects on the wall. This wall of shadowed objects is all that the prisoners are able to physically see--this is what they understand to be true and real.

This aspect of the cave demonstrates the way in which illiberalism and its dangers are produced. In the cave, the shadows are ideas and objects that represent superficial truth and realism. The prisoners have never been able to leave the cave or see anything other than these objects; therefore, these objects are what they know to be real and certain. They have been brainwashed into thinking that this is all there is to know and to believe in, so I'm sure there is not a genuine desire to leave since they are unaware that there is more to life than this cave. In an illiberal society, the government has determined what will and will not be allowed as well as they will be sure to advertise only ideas or objects that they want their citizens to understand and accept. In a liberal society, government allows for diverse ideas and beliefs to be permeated through society--there is no intolerance of any belief or idea.

In the cave, the prisoner are unable to perceive or understand any other idea or object--they are only capable of understanding the shadows because this is all that they are offered. The parallel I would like to make is between the prisoners in Plato's cave and the individuals locked in an illiberal society. The individuals in an illiberal society are essentially prisoners who are unable to expand or experience a life that may be different than that which is the norm, or accepted lifestyle in a society. Because of this class I have been made more aware of liberalism and illiberalism as well as when to identify when a society is existing through one or the other. In understanding how illiberal governments limit their citizen's understanding and freedom to experience life to its fullest extent, I have developed a greater appreciation for our society in the U.S. In America, we are able to hold various different ideologies--our government believes in the freedom of expression and religion. With all this being said, I feel as though there is much work to be done to encourage nations--those who restrict their people from their ability to fully express themselves--to operate through more liberal ways, such as allowing for the freedom of expression and religion. In all, we must free the prisoners from this constrained and intolerant life or else these individuals will never be able to truly reach their full potential or delve into the expression of their most sincere beliefs.