I asked a supporter of the Iranian government (from Bahrain) why Iran had restrictions on their democracy like only allowing approved candidates to run.

To which he replied, "Because you can't let a camel herder become President."

Deciding "people can't think for themselves" is a slippery slope. And you've got to be talking about a pretty serious ill to balance those scales. (Take it from a country that had a camel herder for a President for four years...)