Political life is essentially about the struggle between the few and the many. When one rules, the other is at a disadvantage. This is why the United States Constitution provides two legislative bodies. One for the states (the few) and one for the populous (the many). Aristotle's advice is to have a strong middle class. Members of the middle class generally do not become entangled in factions that cause political differences. General Washington advised something similar when he gave his farewell address after his presidency: stay away from factions. Today we see that the political environment is becoming more and more polarized as the majority of people find themselves in the middle of the two ideologies. The gap between rich and poor is also widening, which could cause further political upheaval. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The three main forms of government are a monarchy, an aristocracy, and a democracy. Cicero, however, mentions a fourth type of government which is actually a mix of the previous three. This one, he says, is superior to the others. But he will talk more about this form later. According to supporters of democracy, “if the people knew how to assert their rights, nothing could be more glorious and prosperous than democracy” (Cicero 10). On the other hand, if people were to remain free under an aristocracy, leaders could not be chosen haphazardly or randomly. Only the noblest men who could be relied upon would be selected. If faced with a choice, Cicero would choose neither an aristocracy nor a democracy but a monarchy. He is right that a king is a kind of father of the people and watches over them and protects their freedom. This king, of course, must be just and have the public interest in mind to avoid falling into the category of a tyrannical government. While Cicero makes the case for monarchy as the best form of government, his argument is based on the idea that one IS better to govern because all the power is in one place so that things run smoothly. It is compared to how a pilot is better suited to steer a ship than many others. Sometimes, an oppressive man will take the throne by birthright. In these moments, monarchy turns into tyranny, and then turns into aristocracies, which then turns into democracies. This is a pattern that often happens in political regimes. The drafters of the Constitution, and in particular James Madison, certainly understood the problems that emerged from these different forms of government. The English king, in their eyes, was as oppressive as a tyrant, and the Articles of Confederation did not provide sufficient structure to allow the populous to rule. The solution was to devise a system of government that included an equal mix of the three best forms of government. Cicero argued that disasters and oppression would not have occurred in this form of government if public men had not been seized by the greatest vices. Then, using Cicero's suggestion, the founders sought to put in place a system in which it would be difficult to fall into the negative effects of any of the political forms of government..