Strauss's Criticism of Modernity and His Admiration of Classical Natural Rights

Abstract

: Strauss, the advocate of classical political philosophy, made the accusation of “nihilism” against “modern rationalism” initiated by Machiavelli and Hobbes' enlightenment rationality, and advocated returning to the virtue and wisdom of Socrates of Plato in classical Greece. Strauss' political philosophy tries to return to Plato's Socrates, guide the justice with the good of natural justice, educate the legislator to return to the state of universal political community, restore the natural state of human beings. The classical natural rights lie in that the value difference derive from the hierarchy of desire, and the hierarchy of this natural value difference is regarded as the proper good and justice, just as Plato's “justice lies in the division and performance of each”. According to Strauss, the good life is consistent with human nature, that is, natural law. This is justice.