CEVAP:

The goods and evils of government stated by Augustine in The City of God might be summarised as follows:

1. Government may be, and must be, rule by the ideal Christian ruler; such a ruler would lead his people in obedience to God.

2. Government may simply be a tyranny-as a realisation of evil and/or love of self, which is an expression of the “earthly city” (civitas terrana/diaboli).

3. Government exists to organise the cooperation of “men of good will” (speaking in modern terms), i.e., citizens of the two cities united by an interest in earthly peace and other earthly goods, valued by both
Christians and non- Christians.