The West is quite familiar with the concept of the "Philosopher King." I agree that if you assume a perfectly moral, incorruptible dictator, then they are a per

The West is quite familiar with the concept of the "Philosopher King." I agree that if you assume a perfectly moral, incorruptible dictator, then they are a perfect government. It's certainly better than democracy. It's also impossible to achieve, though, which makes it a bit moot. No single person is guaranteed to stay free of corruption, especially when granted tremendous, unchecked power. Creating a system that relies on this not happening is not a good idea. It's just too huge a gamble. Also, comparing Ayatollah Khamenei, a formerly elected politician who controls around $100 billion of quasi-private wealth, to a council of ascetic monks, is a bit of a stretch.