In the world, there have existed various forms of government; some good, some bad, and some ugly. For simplicity’s sake, we will compare and contrast only a few: monarchy, Plato's philosopher-kings, aristocracy, commonwealth, and republic. All governments, regardless of form, must actively serve the public.
Monarchy and Republic
A monarchy is a form of government in which a king rules over an area. A notable example of this government is England, which has had kings since its conception. When a monarchy is fair to its subjects, or actively fulfills good purposes, it is simply a monarchy.
If, however, the king is evil, it is no longer just a monarchy, but rather a tyranny. This decline into madness (i.e., the Stamp Act and the threepence tax per pound of tea) is what happened prior to the Founding Fathers penning the Declaration of Independence in 1776. To avoid being like Britain, America was conceived as a republic; the Founders used Rome as a model.
Aristocracy and Commonwealth
An aristocracy includes a set of wise citizens (who may or may not have inherited wealth) ruling over a given community, and working together to make important decisions that affect the well-being of this community. Like monarchies, aristocracies, God-fearing or not, should primarily seek the benefit of others, not just self-interest; else their country will dissipate into chaos. Otherwise, they become oligarchies. Aristocracies haven't been a thing in America.
The commonwealth is somewhat similar to an aristocracy, but a commonwealth typically includes more people than an aristocracy would. Like an aristocracy, the people in a commonwealth must work as a team to make decisions for the community, and they should all mainly be working for the common good. If the members of a commonwealth work primarily for their own self-interest, they become a pure democracy and treat people terribly, causing the country to cascade into general confusion. A few American states, such as the state of Virginia, are commonwealths.
Meritocracy and Philosopher-Kings
Plato thought society should be governed by philosopher-kings because "in the healthy state.....the rational element is in control," as stated in Moore and Bruder's Philosophy: The Power of Ideas textbook on page 253.
Philosopher-kings have a lot of insight into human nature and are capable of deep legal or self-reflection, allowing them to correctly analyze where things went wrong or why they are working out successfully. Because of their insight into human nature, they are able to discover (as opposed to making) laws and apply them to the fabric of society, to use terminology from Richard Maybury. This will hopefully prevent them from making tyrannical laws.
The society should be a meritocracy as well. A meritocracy is based on skill level, so a philosopher-king would get elected based on how much philosophy he understands and how well he can apply it to real-life situations.
America isn't run by philosopher-kings, but it is fond of the meritocracy. Ex-President Theodore Roosevelt's "The Strenuous Life" and "The American Boy" speeches are representative of this idea, in which people rise up and become successful through their own effort. Many American presidents, including Roosevelt, Donald Trump, Ronald Reagan, and those who were Founding Fathers, understood human nature quite keenly.
No matter their form, governments must be careful not to burden the public with red tape. Forms of government can occasionally be paired with forms of tyranny.
Capital Flight and Tax Laws
To name one example of government red tape causing harm, capital flight indirectly causes inflation. Governments are, in fact, the ones making money worthless by charging exorbitant taxes. In the book Whatever Happened to Justice? by Richard Maybury, the author notes that an action called capital flight (when businessmen are getting rid of money quickly by spending it on inconspicuous assets to avoid taxes; Maybury's examples are vacations and paintings) is a response to exorbitant taxes and a hope for substantial tax write-offs. Capital flight is common, says Maybury, in foreign countries that live in poverty. Excessive government regulations have much to do with substandard incomes, evidently. The public will not live safely or happily in countries affected by capital flight.
America is a country with far less of such tyranny.
Editor's Note: It’s America’s 250th birthday! Help PJ Media celebrate the greatest nation in history by honoring its past, defending its present, and preserving its future with reporting you can trust.
Join PJ Media VIP and use promo code AMERICA250 to receive 74% off your membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member