Prosperity and Empowerment

There is no inherent reason why a wise and benevolent Monarchy or Oligarchy could not bring about universal prosperity.  But what is impossible in either of those systems is universal empowerment.  So, if there is any principle grounding the thesis that Democracy is the best system, it must entail that Power is a higher Good than Wealth.  Now, according to the Plutocrat, Power and Wealth are equivalent.  Still, until it is proven that the acquisition of Wealth is not a zero-sum process, the achievement of universal Empowerment is impossible in a Plutocracy, so Democracy is the superior system in that regard.  And, absent a wise and benevolent system of distribution, which Smith takes for granted, universal prosperity, too, is impossible in a Plutocracy.