 The best form of government, according to Thomas, is a mixed government combining elements of democracy, aristocracy and kingship  (Summa, 1–2, q. 105, a. 1).  This is reminiscent of Aristotle’s preference for mixed government over either democracy or oligarchy, but in fact many ancient writers, including Cicero, advocated mixed government, and on this topic Thomas is closer to Polybius—whom he did not know—than to Aristotle (Blythe 1992: 57–8).