Socrates' Political Resistance

What can I make of Plato's Socrates with regards to justice, law, and political action? Let me begin with Plato's portrayal of Socrates in the Apology. 

Under trial on legal charges of atheism and corruption of the youth, Socrates undertakes a defense of his life as a philosopher. Among other things, he argues that such a life of inquiry into truth, justice, and goodness – ultimately a life of self-examination for the sake of cultivating excellence of the soul – is best lived as a private, not a public, person. He saw his life as one of service to the city of Athens by carrying out meticulous cross-examinations of the alleged wisdom of his fellow citizens, especially those who held public office or had public notoriety as poets or artisans. He urged them to look after the well-being, or good order, of their souls first.

Why not be a public servant instead? He explains to the jurors at his trial:

It may seem strange that while I go around and give this advice privately and interfere in private affairs, I do not venture to go to the assembly and there advise the city...Be sure, gentlemen of the jury, that if I had long ago attempted to take part in politics, I should have died long ago, and benefited neither you nor myself. Do not be angry with me for speaking the truth; no man will survive who genuinely opposes you or any other crowd and prevents the occurrence of many unjust and illegal happenings in the city. A man who really fights for justice must lead a private, not a public, life if he is to survive even a short time. (31c-32a)

I am often bothered by the fact that Socrates interpreted an oracle as justification to arrogate himself the mission of cross-examining the beliefs that underwrote the lives of other people. Perhaps it is a matter of temperament, but I often find him intrusive and annoying. However, I am drawn to his belief that service towards true justice and goodness is best carried by persons who do not hold public office or pursue political careers. Such individuals, even the darling Obamas and Websters of this or that nation, may be necessary for the political machinery of the state to run, but they are not the most just. They will often tell you why it is a necessary evil to bomb the hell out of some other people or to preserve a political union by tolerating slavery.

This doesn't mean that philosophical persons committed to excellence don't take their stand and act for justice. Socrates states a principle of action: One must defend the position that one believes to be best, even in the face of danger—one must seek excellence and justice rather than live in fear of death or public disgrace (28d). As evidence that he lives by this principle, he adduces not only his words (logos) but his his actions or deeds (ergon), as when he resisted the trial as a group of several Athenian military generals after the battle of Arginusae:

This was illegal, as you recognized later. I was the only member of the presiding committee to oppose your doing something contrary to the laws, and I voted against it. The orators were ready to prosecute me and take me away, and your shouts were egging them on, but I thought I should run any risk on the side of law and justice rather than join you, for fear of prison or death, when you were engaged in an unjust course. (32b-c)

If we take Socrates’ word for it, this is an example of political resistance by an individual citizen. He stood on the side of law and justice against the unjust actions of the majority of his fellow Athenians. In this regard, I do find Plato's Socrates to be an admirable exemplar of political resistance for the sake of justice, a responsible person for whom thought and action must cohere.

Note: Text cited from Plato, The Trial and Death of Socrates, Trans. G.M.A. Grube (Indianapolis: Hackett, 1975).