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Al-Farabi’s Virtuous City and Radical Political Thought

ByNoor Omer

For anyone interested in politics and philosophy, there must be an understanding that we do not study these fields only to learn from them, but also to teach others how to think about power. The purpose is not to accumulate passive knowledge, but to raise awareness around virtues and vices of life. When we speak about power, we must ask who holds it and why. We must ask what people are expected to do when a government fails to serve them or does not deliver on what it promises. But how do we apply the virtues of political philosophy when sometimes in essence they can be radical?

Schools of thought such as Marxism, anarchism, post structuralism, liberalism, and democracy give us structure. They provide language and frameworks through which we can begin to understand political life. Yet they do not fully answer the deeper questions we have about life, power, and their relationship to society. They organize our thinking, but they do not define its limits. And those who do not think about limits, most likely end up adopting a misguided approach and understanding of power and by extension of life.

If one were to identify a foundational starting point, it would be the social contract tradition, as developed by thinkers such as Hobbes, Locke, and Rousseau. At its core lies a simple but profound question: why do we agree to be governed/ruled at all. Without understanding this question, it becomes difficult to engage meaningfully with later critiques such as Marxism or anarchism. The social contract does not end the conversation on political power but begins it.

This raises a deeper concern regarding our modern society and way of life. Modern policymaking often appears rigid, legalistic, and driven by immediate concerns. It is shaped by urgency and practicality. Political philosophy, by contrast, operates in abstraction. It asks broader questions about justice, legitimacy, and authority. The gap between the two is striking and almost inapplicable when thought in pure practical terms. This is the reason why it is rare to see policymakers who actively engage with philosophical foundations, or who attempt to connect these ideas to the realities they project power through, such as government offices.

Political philosophy does not provide a checklist for governance nor does it justify power. It offers a way of thinking.

The Tension Between Principle and Practice

Despite all this, political philosophy is not detached from reality. It is the foundation that gives policy direction where without it, decisions risk becoming reactive rather than meaningful. Philosophy does not provide a checklist for governance nor does it justify power. It offers a way of thinking. It sharpens our ability to question, to reflect, and to critically understand the implications of political choices.

The application of political philosophy, then, is not rigid or formulaic. It lies in balance. Good governance requires both practical awareness and philosophical reflection. Without philosophy, politics becomes short term and mechanical. Without practical grounding, philosophy becomes distant and abstract.

The challenge is to allow philosophy to guide values such as justice and legitimacy, while policy responds to the realities of the present.

Thoughtful governance or “just rule” emerges from this balance. It is not simply about what works neither does it endorse short-term solutions to outstanding problems. It is about what is just, what is sustainable, and what reflects the kind of society we seek to build. It requires leaders to move beyond immediate pressures and to consider the long term moral implications of their decisions.

History does not offer perfect examples of this balance. Leaders are human, and reality is complex. Yet there are moments that come close. Figures such as Nelson Mandela demonstrated an ability to combine moral reflection with political pragmatism, particularly in the pursuit of reconciliation. Similarly, Franklin D. Roosevelt approached structural reform with both ambition and realism. These examples are not flawless, but they suggest that the connection between philosophy and power is possible, even if imperfect.

The Virtuous City

It is within this broader context that Al-Farabi’s Virtuous City becomes significantly relevant. Al-Farabi imagined an ideal society led by a ruler who possesses both wisdom and moral clarity. Inspired by Plato, he understood the city as a reflection of a harmonious soul, where individuals cooperate toward collective well being. Leadership, in his vision, is not based on force or dominance, but on reason and ethical guidance.

The Virtuous City is not a prediction of reality and, at best, remains an ideal. It does not claim that such a society will exist, but rather that it should be imagined. Human societies are shaped by conflict, competing interests, and limitations. Perfection is not attainable. Yet the value of Al-Farabi’s vision lies in its function as a guide. It provides a standard against which real societies can be measured.

The Virtuous City is not a place we expect to find, but a standard against which we measure what we have built.

What makes Al-Farabi’s vision particularly compelling is that it is not only about leadership, but about the structure of society itself. The Virtuous City depends on harmony between its people, where each individual contributes according to their abilities and works toward a shared understanding of the common good.

This is not a society driven by individual desire or material pursuit, but one oriented toward the cultivation of virtue and the attainment of happiness, understood as intellectual and moral fulfillment.

The city is not merely governed well, but educated into virtue. Knowledge, reason, and even religion are not separate forces, but aligned in guiding individuals toward a meaningful life.

Political philosophy, whether in ancient thought or modern critique, is not concerned with designing perfect systems. It is concerned with asking better questions. It pushes us to reflect on power, justice, and purpose. While we may never achieve a virtuous city, the act of thinking about it allows us to move closer to more thoughtful and just forms of governance.

Political philosophy thus does not promise utopia. It offers something more important. It gives us the ability to think beyond what exists, and to question whether what exists is enough.

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