You're still not a monarchist, schoolman?
You know me better than that, Pascendi. I follow the thought of St. Thomas on the matter:
According to the thought of St. Thomas, the best form of government in view of the common good of civil society (hic et nunc) is the mixed regime or regimen commixtum generally patterned after the temporal regime established by God in the Old Testament (ST. i-ii. 105. 1; “Talis enim est optima politia, bene commixta”):
1) The ideal is part "monarchy" insofar as there is a hierarchy (ST. i-i. 108. 2) with "one [man] head of all (e.g., a king, president, prime minister, etc.). Such a ruler need not possess the totality of power in order to be considered as "king" as St. Thomas states: "Hence from the very first the Lord did not set up the kingly authority with full power, but gave them judges and governors to rule them." (ST. i-ii 105. 1) Considered purely in the abstract order of speculative ideas, however, this aspect of the regimen commixtum holds first place among the other basic governmental forms insofar as rule of one [man], per se, is patterned after the perfection of the divine government as well as the constitution that Christ established for His Church.
2) The ideal is part "aristocracy" insofar as hierarchical power is shared and distributed according to the diversity of orders or offices (ST. i-i. 108. 2). It is reasonable to foresee a certain separation of offices in order to provide an effective check against tyranny (Cf. De Regimine Principium) and preserving above all the rule of law" (ST. i-ii. 90. 1). What is implicit in the thought of St. Thomas has found explicit formulation in the teaching of the Catechism (CCC #1904): It is preferable that each power be balanced by other powers and by other spheres of responsibility which keep it within proper bounds. This is the principle of the rule of law, in which the law is sovereign and not the arbitrary will of men. Considered purely in the abstract order of speculative ideas, however, "aristocracy" has less perfection, per se, than "monarchy."
3) The ideal is part "democracy" insofar as all rightly take some share in the government (e.g., directly or representative -- that is vicariously -- insofar as civil rulers are the "vicar of the multitude" -- vicem gerens multitudinis; (ST. i-ii. 90. 3). This right is exercised by the people, for example, when they choose their rulers or when they legitimately replace a tyrannical regime (ST. ii-ii. 42. 2). Considered purely in the abstract order of speculative ideas, however, "democracy" has less perfection, per se, than the other two basic governmental forms.
4) "Monarchy", in itself, is considered to have the greatest perfection (in comparison to other basic governmental forms, in themselves) insofar as it is patterned after divine government and the government of the Church. In this sense, "Monarchy", per se, can be considered as the (absolute) best in the abstract order of speculative ideas. Yet even this analogy has limitations insofar as God’s rule is shared among His adopted children among the communion of Saints.
5) The "Regimen Commixtum", on the other hand, is considered the best in a (relative) sense. In other words, relative to civil authority, per se, in the temporal order and man's state of nature, the regimen commixtum is considered to be the "best" and, as such, is generally patterned after the kind of civil government initially established by God in the Old Testament.
