1819 Sept. 22

Parl. Reform Bill

Reasons ult o

§.2 Electors Who

Beginning

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For those reasons, every degree of extension given to the proportionable number of the Members among whom the powers of government have been distributed has been an improvement: the sum of the universal happiness has been augmented by it.

The most simple form of government – meaning permanent government (a) is pure Monarchy: synonymous to which is absolute despotism. It requires less labour and less good fortune is /has been/ requisite to set it up and maintain it Taking the whole population of the earth together

The first improvement upon this form is the aristo{cratical} Monarchical tempered by /with/ the aristocratical for a check to it. The form is here better and better to the proportional number of the persons who share in it and in the enjoyment attached to it is greater and greater: that is in proportion as it approaches nearer to the democratical

The near[?] improvement is that which has place where the office of Monarch has no place /is left out/, and the whole of the power remains in the hands of an Aristocracy.

Here then we have three distinguishable forms of government. 1. Pure Monarchy. 2. Pure Aristocracy. 3. Mixture of Monarchy and Aristocracy.

As to the comparative goodness of the three the only circumstances by which any doubt or difference or doubt can be produced are these. 1. In the case of a pure Monarchy, though in general the condition of the people is worse than under an aristocracy, yet sometimes from /in/ the extraordinary virtues sometimes from the weaknesses of the Monarch it may happen to their misery to find more or less of relief: whereas under an aristocracy there is never any such relief: it has no virtue: it has no weaknesses: its conduct is at all times determined by a full comprehension of, and a well considered inflexible and exclusive regard for its own separate and sinister interest.