I am a democrat
/because I believe that no man or group of men is good enough to be trusted with uncontrolled power over others.
And the higher the pretensions of such power, the more dangerous I think it /both to the rulers and to the subjects.
Hence Theocracy is the worst of all governments.
If we must have a tyrant, a robber baron is far better than an inquisitor.
The baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity at some point be sated;
and since he dimly knows () he is doing wrong he may possibly repent.
* CUPIDITY ; inordinate desire for wealth : avarice, greed.
But [the inquisitor //who mistakes his own cruelty and lust of power and fear /for the voice of Heaven] will torment us infinitely /because he torments us /with the approval of his own conscience and [his better impulses] appear /to him /as temptations.
And since Theocracy is the worst, the nearer any government approaches to Theocracy the worse it will be.
From On Stories