BARTOLO OF SASSOFERRATO

Government “for the people” should be called a government of God rather than of men.

When jurisdiction lies with the populace or with the multitude, not that the whole multitude should rule at once, but that the government should be committed to different people over time, according to the offices, and according to a cycle.

The rule of several bad men does not last long, and easily decays to the rule of a single tyrant.

The more people there are, the more things they see, and in them there is a more perceptive and discerning reason than in one person: therefore, in this respect, it is better to be ruled by many

A democracy is the name of a government of those who are ruling for their own advantage, in opposition to the rich, or to any specific people.

A government which results from election is more divine than one which results from succession.

A small city, is better off with a government “for the people” than it is being ruled by a few people, or by only one. A larger city, according to the scale of magnitude, is better ruled by a few good rich men, rather then by the populace, or by one person. The largest cities or peoples are best ruled by a single king.

Government by one man: He is called a lord if he inclines to a good and common end; a tyrant if he is inclined to pursue bad or merely personal ends.

A small city, is better off with a government “for the people” than it is being ruled by a few people, or by only one. A larger city, according to the scale of magnitude, is better ruled by a few good rich men, rather then by the populace, or by one person. The largest cities or peoples are best ruled by a single king.

Government “for the people” should be called a government of God rather than of men.

The more people there are, the more things they see, and in them there is a more perceptive and discerning reason than in one person: therefore, in this respect, it is better to be ruled by many

The rule of several bad men does not last long, and easily decays to the rule of a single tyrant.

Government by one man: He is called a lord if he inclines to a good and common end; a tyrant if he is inclined to pursue bad or merely personal ends.

A democracy is the name of a government of those who are ruling for their own advantage, in opposition to the rich, or to any specific people.

A government which results from election is more divine than one which results from succession.

When jurisdiction lies with the populace or with the multitude, not that the whole multitude should rule at once, but that the government should be committed to different people over time, according to the offices, and according to a cycle.