https://archive.org/details/MaterialLogicJohnOfSt.Thomas
Preface by Jacques Maritain.
Foreword and translation by Yves R. Simon:
"Simon trained to work in the realm of Thomism or scholastic philosophy. Thus, in 1955, he was one of several contributors to the translating of John of St. Thomas into English.
However, he is better known for his work in moral and political philosophy. There, he defended the traditional Thomistic account of moral action and the virtues. He was an ardent defender of the proposition that this traditional account was compatible with liberal democracy in the West, arguing that French Catholics had erred in holding that the Catholic faith supported their adherence to monarchy, à la Action Française."
Yes, some big-wigs Thomists were involved in this translation. It's a good selection of the important parts of
Cursus philosophicus Thomisticus.
Considering St. Thomas himself said
in his Summa:
Unde optima ordinatio principum est in aliqua civitate vel regno, in qua unus praeficitur secundum virtutem qui omnibus praesit; et sub ipso sunt aliqui principantes secundum virtutem; et tamen talis principatus ad omnes pertinet, tum quia ex omnibus eligi possunt, tum quia etiam ab omnibus eliguntur. Talis enim est optima politia, bene commixta ex regno, inquantum unus praeest; et aristocratia, inquantum multi principantur secundum virtutem; et ex democratia, idest potestate populi, inquantum ex popularibus possunt eligi principes, et ad populum pertinet electio principum.
Accordingly, the best form of government is in a state or kingdom, where one is given the power to preside over all; while under him are others having governing powers: and yet a government of this kind is shared by all, both because all are eligible to govern, and because the rules are chosen by all. For this is the best form of polity, being partly kingdom, since there is one at the head of all; partly aristocracy, in so far as a number of persons are set in authority; partly democracy, i.e. government by the people, in so far as the rulers can be chosen from the people, and the people have the right to choose their rulers.
And Pope Pius VI said monarchy is the best form of government in thesis (“praestantioris monorchici regiminis forma”)
{allocution to the Consistory of June 17, 1793, Les Enseignements Pontificaux – La Paix Interieure de Nations, by the monks of Solesmes (Paris: Desclee & Cie), p. 8.}
There's nothing wrong with French Catholics "holding that the Catholic faith supported their adherence to monarchy". What's wrong with Action Française was its neo-pagan, atheist leader Maurras, his writings, and Action Française's newspaper.