  The take-home lessons of the Republic’s politics are subject to special controversy. In the sections above, I take what Socrates  says about the ideal and defective cities at face value, but many  readers believe that this is a mistake. Some think that Plato does  not intend the Republic as a serious contribution to  political thought, because its political musings are projections to  clarify psychological claims crucial to the ethical theory that Plato does seriously intend (Annas 1999, Annas 2000). Others think that Plato intends  political lessons strikingly different from what is suggested by the  face value of Socrates’ words. 