Man being a social animal, incapable of living in a solitary state, it has been necessary for men to band together and to congregate in cities, fortified places or towns, and to hold meetings to provide for their mutual needs. And in order that they should understand one another in these meetings, Nature has invented, and given to them, language and speech for each to express his particular need to others. Moreover, every community of men is ordered to a particular end, which it may reach by diverse means. There is a need for some body to direct and rule the others, since every people and place, to attain its natural good, needs government. Such governments are various, differing in diverse ways. Some are ruled by a single head, some by many people, some by the entire population together. The rule and government of a single head, provided that head is good, is the best, or most desirable form of all governments, and is the most conducive to unity. And this is the reason: because there is great difficulty in reducing to unity the great together with the small, and where virtue is more unified it has greater strength; and because it is easier to realise unity in a single leader than in several. Rule by one is, therefore, better than rule by many, so long as he who governs is good. But when such a ruler is bad, this is the worst form of government, the very opposite of the best. And therefore a variety of governments have been invented, according to the diversity of people and places.

Hieronymus Savonarola [Sermon XIII On Haggai, Delivered 14 December, Advent 1494]