What did Saint Thomas Aquinas mean?

Question

"Law; an ordinance of reason for the common good, made by him who has care of the community"

Answer 1

Laws were made by the righteous,  who don't want things getting out of hand.

Answer 2

Restrictions on some that would exceed certain boundaries benefits us more than the incredulity suffered by the would-be lawbreakers even if that includes the leadership. These restrictions are initiated by whomever is entrusted with leadership of the community.

Answer 3

Aquinas re-introduced Aristotelean philosophy into the west. "Law as an ordinance of reason" is Aristotle's idea.

"For the common good" is an idea that preceeds "the consent of the governed" since that concept had not been invented yet. Laws were decreed by the Bishops, along with the monarchy, and they are "him who has care of the community."

When the consent of the governed was invented, the first part did not change, but "him who has" became "made by the people."

Answer 4

Well, this is what I think he meant. Quite simply, that the law should be the result of carefully thought out and reasoned ideas by someone whose motives are for the good of the community, and that they should result in the commmunity functioning in a way that benefits everyone.

Answer 5

Laws are created to protect people, not hold them back.  The idea is that if somebody gets to a position of power or influence, they should have everyone's interests in mind, not their own selfish ones.  And crushing people with power is also bad.