Among the principles of government contained in the Book of Mormon is that a monarchy is a good system of government if the people can be assured they will always have good and righteous kings. (Mosiah 23:8.) However, the weakness of a monarchy is that "ye cannot dethrone an iniquitous king save it be through much contention, and the shedding of much blood." (Mosiah 29:21.)
Thus, because his people could not be assured of always having righteous kings, Mosiah proposes to them a system of judges who would be chosen "by the voice of this people." (Mosiah 29:25.) He indicates that the value of this system of democratic government is that "it is not common that the voice of the people desireth anything contrary to that which is right." (Mosiah 29:26.) However, he also warns that this type of democracy has a weakness: "if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you." (Mosiah 29:27.)