Take the Kingman Test! You Might be a Kingman if...

Come Follow Me (Alma 51 & 60)

Those kingmen, though. They sure knew how to bury the lead story of their true motives when their cause was introduced: "there were a part of the people who desired that a few particular points of the law should be altered." (Alma 51:2) No biggie - just a few teensy tweaks.

As the petition was presented and the inevitable tantrum ensued because Pahoran denied the request, the few particular points became a movement to dethrone Pahoran. This group of citizens would rather have a king because that seems a more sensible way to get what they want.

The petition became a ballot initiative, with catchy slogans and monikers on both sides of the issue. Kingmen described those who "were desirous that the law should be altered in a manner to overthrow the free government and to establish a king over the land." (Alma 51:5)

Those who wanted to maintain a free government with the brilliant system of judges established by King Mosiah called themselves freemen. Suddenly, a country with national threats to their security is plunged into a civil dispute - "but not unto bloodshed." (Alma 51:4)

The election turned out in favor of keeping the chief judge, which put the issue to rest - for a few minutes, anyway.

This begs the question - what does a free government look like? Reading both the Old Testament and Book of Mormon, as well as what God has said about governments in D&C 134, and studying the ideas of the American Founders, I've made an extremely pared down list so I don't go off on a tangent. Since tangential is sort of my zip code.

A free government:

• Establishes and maintains laws which foster self-governance: laws which provide incentives for self-reliance and makes it difficult to become chronically dependent.

• Focuses on the protection of individual rights civically - and the rights of the entire country nationally - particularly against foreign influence and invasion. This is the very essence of why governments were established in the first place.

• A free government - focused on its primary job of protecting rights - doesn't micromanage the individual lives of its people. This implies that centralized government far away from the individual citizens is undesirable because it's least efficient, least effective, unsustainable, and contrary to individual rights in the first place.

It's good to consider basic elements of a free government when you consider what sort of people would oppose it. We get a brief sketch in Alma 51:8:

"Now those who were in favor of kings were those of high birth, and they sought to be kings; and they were supported by those who sought power and authority over the people." (Alma 51:8)

Hmmm ... those who both sought to be kings and those who supported them who also wanted power and authority. From behind the scenes, perhaps? Interesting distinction, don't you think?

It seems those "of high birth" would be individuals who imagine themselves better suited to rule than the ordinary class citizen. No doubt, these would be folks who ascribe to Plato's ideal of philosopher kings:

"Plato argues that philosophers are the most qualified individuals to rule the state due to their deep understanding of truth, justice, and the nature of the human soul. He believed that ordinary people often lack the wisdom and insight necessary for effective governance."

(https://platointelligence.com/what-is-a-philosopher-king-according-to-plato/#google_vignette)

Just a wild guess: I'm thinking money is always going to be involved with those who fancy themselves better qualified to rule.

You actually get a fuller sense of what kingmen look like - what they do and what motivates them - in Moroni's epic letter to Pahoran in Alma 60. From the seeming and deceptive safety of our 21st century perch, we generally read that letter knowing the gross misunderstanding from Moroni's perspective, but read it again. This time - imagine he's writing it to those very kingmen who had run Pahoran out of town. There's an excellent sense of how kingmen operate and gain strongholds in governments.

Disclaimer - the first two on the list don't come from Moroni's letter; just FYI:

• When they don't get their way at the polls - "by the voice of the people" - they look to other means to force their point (see Alma 46 and Helaman 1).

• They generally see external enemy influences, which threaten national security, as opportunities rather than threats (Alma 51:13).

Now - Moroni's accusations - which are 100% correct when it comes to the kingmen:

• View national defense and border protection as a low priority of government - which is the very purpose of government (Alma 60:2).

• Live in comfort and luxury on the backs of others who do without (Alma 60:5, 7).

  
  

  CAVEAT: THIS IN NO WAY EQUATES TO INCOME INEQUALITY AMONG PRIVATE CITIZENS. We're talking about government. Private individuals who have more have a moral and spiritual duty, as per the first and second commandments, to share. THIS... is not THAT.

• The liberty of others is a lower priority than personal comfort amidst political turmoil and upheaval (Alma 60:10).

• Assume that God's protection will come without any personal involvement in political conflict (Alma 60:11).

• Corruption follows divisiveness in government, as factions turn to immoral acts to further their goals - "the ends justify the means" (Alma 60:15-16).

• Personal comfort and security actually become the motivators to stay uninvolved (Alma 60:19-23).

• Government leaders neglect to put their own house in order before addressing external threats (Alma 60:23-24).

There is one constant in any equation which seeks to predict outcomes in human behavior - human nature. In spite of the equation, and in spite of the volatile and unstable nature of human nature - human nature is ironically - wildly predictable:

"We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose [or money, or education, or influence], they will immediately begin to exercise unrighteous dominion." (D&C 121:39)

If you're reading this, you probably failed the kingman test, but you might want to consider using it as a litmus test for future political candidates. We already have far too many kingmen in offices for my comfort or taste.