Problem: Summarize main ideas, claims, principles. Dante states that universal peace is the most important blessing that can be bestowed upon humanity. To achieve it, the world needs to be organized properly. Taking his cue from Aristotle, Dante makes, in effect, a levels-of-analysis argument, noting that in the case of the individual household, village, city, and kingdom, each unit must be rightly ordered to achieve one particular end. In the case of the kingdom, the ultimate goal is tranquility or peace, and to achieve it, "there must be one king to rule and govern, else not only do they in the kingdom fail to reach the goal, but the kingdom itself lapses into ruin. Thus it appears that for the well-being of the world there must be a monarchy or empire." One aspect of his argument for world government has a distinctly modern ring his call for the peaceful settlement of disputes where "between any two princes, one of whom is in no way subject to the other, contention may arise." What is needed is some power with "wider jurisdiction who, within the compass of his right, has princedom over both. And he will be monarch or emperor." Dante then approvingly quotes Aristotle: "Things love not to be ill-disposed; but a multiplicity of princedoms is ill; therefore, one prince." Note that this ultimate power to keep principalities in line should be in the hands of a secular ruler with the church playing no role. This in part reflects Dante's admiration of the Roman Empire and the peace it enforce. Need Assignment Help?