CLASSISM
Stratification
Founding Fathers
No Oligarchy=Aristocracy
The Few v The Many
No Ruling Class
Elitism v Democracy
What is an Oligarchy?
BAD NEWS
What is an Oligarchy?
Oligarchy is a form of government where most political power effectively rests with a small segment of society (typically the most powerful, whether by wealth, military strength, ruthlessness, or political influence). The word oligarchy is from the Greek for "few" and "rule". Some political theorists have argued that all societies are inevitably oligarchies no matter the supposed political system.
Oligarchies are often controlled by a few powerful families whose children are raised and mentored to become inheritors of the power of the oligarchy, often at some sort of expense to those governed. In contrast to aristocracy ("government by the 'best'"), this power may not always be exercised openly, the oligarchs preferring to remain "the power behind the throne", exerting control through economic means. Unlike plutocracy, oligarchy is not always a rule by wealth, as oligarchs can simply be a privileged cadre. It has also been suggested that most communist states fit the definition of oligarchy.
A society may become an oligarchy by default as an outgrowth of the shifting alliances of warring tribal chieftans, although any form of government may transform into an oligarchy at some point in its evolution. The most likely mechanism for this transformation is a gradual accumulation of otherwise unchecked economic power. Oligarchies may also evolve into more classically authoritarian forms of government, sometimes as the result of one family gaining ascendancy over the others. Many of the European monarchies established during the late Middle Ages began in this way.
Oligarchies may also become instruments of transformation, insisting that monarchs or dictators share power, thereby opening the door to power-sharing by other elements of society. One example of this process occurred when English nobles banded together in 1215 to force a reluctant King John of England to sign the Magna Carta, a tacit recognition both of King John's waning political power and of the existence of an incipient oligarchy. As English society continued to grow and develop, the Magna Carta was repeatedly revised (1216,1217, and 1225), guaranteeing greater rights to greater numbers of people, thus setting the stage for British constitutional monarchy.
A modern example of oligarchy could be seen in South Africa during the 20th century. Here, the basic characteristics of oligarchy are particularly easy to observe, since the South African form of oligarchy was based on racism. After the Boer War, a tacit agreement was reached between English- and Afrikaans-speaking whites. Together, they made up about twenty percent of the population, but this small percentage had access to virtually all the educational and trade opportunities, and they proceeded to deny this to the black majority even further than before. Although this process had been going on since the mid-18th century, after 1948 it became official government policy and became known worldwide as apartheid. This lasted until the arrival of democracy in South Africa in 1994, punctuated by the transition to a democratically-elected government dominated by the black majority.
Source: This article is adapted from Wikipedia and licensed under the GNU Free
meant a system of government with "rule by the best". This is the first definition given in most dictionaries. The word is derived from two words, "aristos" meaning the "best" and "kratein" "to rule". Aristocracies have most often been hereditary plutocracies (see below), where a sense of historical gravitas and noblesse oblige demands high minded action from its members.
meritocracy - "rule by those who most deserve to rule". While this has on the surface a nearly similar meaning to "aristocracy", the term "meritocracy" has usually implied a much more fluid form of government in which one is not considered "best" for life, but must continually prove one's "merit" in order to stay in power.
plutocracy - "rule by the wealthy". In actual practice, aristocrats are often just plutocrats whose wealth allows them to portray their own virtues as the "best" ones.
oligarchy - "rule by the few". Whether an aristocracy is also an oligarchy depends entirely upon one's idea of what are a "few".
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DICTATORSHIP
IS NOT THE PROBLEM
OLIGARCHY IS
OLIGARCHIC ELITISM OF BIRTH
OPPOSES
DEMOCRACY AND MERITOCRACY
BY RESTRICTING FREE ENTERPRISE CAPITALISM
WHAT IS OLIGARCHY?
IT IS
ANTI-AMERICAN
accursed
ARISTOCRACY!
TWO AMERICAS
UNACCEPTABLE
TO OUR FOUNDERS
A professor entered his first day History class. Silently he drew a pyramidal triangle of a two-tiered society declaring, "There is all of History. The top 10% are the king or dictator and the ruling class - aristocracy - the oligarchy. The remaining 90% is you and me - the slaves - THE HAVE-NOTS. This represents all of history until the English Civil War; and, especially, the American Revolution. Then he exited the class leaving the students dumbfounded.
The next day he entered the classroom and drew a three-tiered pyramidal triangle on the chalkboard exclaiming, "This represents all of history from the American Revolution to modern times." Again, he exited leaving the students flabbergasted.
On the third day he entered and rapidly began lecturing, "Now here are the details. From ancient times two-tier oligarchy society existed. Usually, the oligarchy consists of: the priests, the military, the police, aristocratic wealthy families. The ruling class. This establishment's primary conservative purpose is retention of the status quo at all costs.
Dictatorship is not the real world challenge. Yes. There is an allegedly all-powerful king, pharaoh or dictator. But without the oligarchy's support, he is a dead man. Every strongman needs the support of the ruling elitist class - the aristocrats - the oligarchy.
History's recurring dilemma, is this: the rule and the oppression of the MANY by the FEW.
Not government; but rule of the MANY by the FEW
Oligarchy creates a two-tiered societal system without any opportunity for the MANY. Oligarchy is elitism. Usually, the oligarchs separate themselves from the HAVE-NOTS into exclusive organizations. Unaware and uninterested in the daily sufferings of the people. Oligarchs do not labor. Rather they perpetuates their economic self-interest as a matter of privilege. Wealth is based upon birth alone; not upon a persons character, hard work or meritorious achievement. The elitist class preys upon the weak; feeding off of the labors of the many. Who are paid at bare subsistence slave-wages. The FEW promoted their wealth by exploiting the poor. It is oppression. The control of "the mob." the have-nots. That's us - you and me. Sometimes referred to as The Great Unwashed.
As Alexander Hamilton called the People - THE BEAST. The oppressed are enslaved in a fixed system with no hope of advancement or fair share of the the national wealth
This Elitism is the enemy of democracy and republicanism. Privileged is retained by the ruthless rule of the MANY. Thus, Oligarchy endangers a society's peace. Eventually, conflict erupts. Usually, followed by murderous persecution. Order is maintained by the police; or, if needed the military.
TWO TIERS
OF AMERICAN LAW!
ONE FOR RICH,
ONE FOR THE REST OF US
One for the Corporations and Rich. The real law for the rest of us. ALL THE CORPORATE crooks will beat the rap. the end of AMERICAN justice. never steal anything small he two tiers of AMERICAN law : one for the corporations and rich. the real law for the rest of us. all the corporate crooks will beat the rap. the end of AMERICAN justice. never steal anything small attorney general Ashcroft: an ethical personal disappointment this problem cannot be handled by Elliot spitzer ny ag without the staff nor legal mandate to the two tiers of AMERICAN law: one for the corporations and rich. the real law for the rest of us. all the corporate crooks will beat the rap. the end of AMERICAN justice. never steal anything small despite what nacho man says Sam Wacksel(? sp.) will do time in a cc prison for the rich , most of day be allowed out steak and lobster a night. then get out and keep the money he stole. first strict enforcement of the state and esp. the federal ant-trust and Rico laws concept pf divestiture when monopolies or oligopolies abuse monopoly power unfair trade practices--price fixing etc.
first we must clean up the business and government environment. again why??? ---because the us economic system corrupted to the core must be reformed-back to free enterprise capitalism tough love with us corporations exploiting foreign slave labor if export back to USA such products receive 300% surcharge you are either with us as in USA or yo9u are against us; no more foreign corporation dumping on uss market driving our pledging small business out of business.
Bermuda us corporation product receive 300 % surcharge triple minimal tax for Bermuda corporation not return to America . Time for each mega corporation to declare itself it it a multination corp. first or is it a Us corp. first and a multinational second.
(AS AN ASIDE, most PAST, present, and future mergers and acquisitions violated
THE TWO TIERS OF AMERICAN LAW! ONE FOR RICH, ONE FOR THE REST OF US
One for the Corporations and Rich. The real law for the rest of us. ALL THE CORPORATE crooks will beat the rap. the end of AMERICAN justice. never steal anything small he two tiers of AMERICAN law : one for the corporations and rich. the real law for the rest of us. all the corporate crooks will beat the rap. the end of AMERICAN justice. never steal anything small attorney general Ashcroft: an ethical personal disappointment this problem cannot be handled by Elliot spitzer ny ag without the staff nor legal mandate to the two tiers of AMERICAN law: one for the corporations and rich. the real law for the rest of us. all the corporate crooks will beat the rap. the end of AMERICAN justice. never steal anything small despite what nacho man says Sam Wacksel(? sp.) will do time in a cc prison for the rich , most of day be allowed out steak and lobster a night. then get out and keep the money he stole. first strict enforcement of the state and esp. the federal ant-trust and Rico laws concept pf divestiture when monopolies or oligopolies abuse monopoly power unfair trade practices--price fixing etc.
first we must clean up the business and government environment. again why??? ---because the us economic system corrupted to the core must be reformed-back to free enterprise capitalism tough love with us corporations exploiting foreign slave labor if export back to USA such products receive 300% surcharge you are either with us as in USA or yo9u are against us; no more foreign corporation dumping on uss market driving our pledging small business out of business.
Bermuda us corporation product receive 300 % surcharge triple minimal tax for Bermuda corporation not return to America . Time for each mega corporation to declare itself it it a multination corp. first or is it a Us corp. first and a multinational second.
(AS AN ASIDE, most PAST, present, and future mergers and acquisitions violated
The Ancient Greek term aristocracy meant a system of government with "rule by the best". This is the first definition given in most dictionaries. The word is derived from two words, "aristos" meaning the "best" and "kratein" "to rule". Aristocracies have most often been hereditary plutocracies (see below), where a sense of historical gravitas and noblesse oblige demands high minded action from its members.
As a government term, aristocracy can be contrasted with:
meritocracy - "rule by those who most deserve to rule". While this has on the surface a nearly similar meaning to "aristocracy", the term "meritocracy" has usually implied a much more fluid form of government in which one is not considered "best" for life, but must continually prove one's "merit" in order to stay in power.
plutocracy - "rule by the wealthy". In actual practice, aristocrats are often just plutocrats whose wealth allows them to portray their own virtues as the "best" ones.
oligarchy - "rule by the few". Whether an aristocracy is also an oligarchy depends entirely upon one's idea of what are a "few".
monarchy - "rule by a single individual". Historically, the vast majority of monarchs have been aristocrats themselves. However, they have also been very often at odds with the rest of the aristocracy, since it was composed of their rivals. The struggle between a ruling dynastic family and the other aristocratic families in the same country has been a central theme of medieval history.
democracy - "rule by the people". For the past two centuries, democracy has often presented itself as the greatest enemy of aristocracy. The linguistic conflict between them began with the American Revolution ideal of all men being "created equal", quickly followed by the French Revolution (the first in Europe), and continued throughout the 19th century, occasionally flaring up in violent episodes such as the revolutions of 1848. Arguably, the end of the First World War in 1918 marked the final linguistic victory of "democracy" over "aristocracy" as a preferred term for government.
The term "aristocracy" was first given in Athens to young citizens who led armies from the front line with their swords up. Since military bravery was such a highly regarded virtue in ancient Greece, the armies were being led by "the best". From the ancient Greeks, the term passed on to the European Middle Ages for a similar hereditary class of military leaders often referred to as the "nobility". As in ancient Greece, this was a slave holding class of privileged men whose military role made them see themselves as the most "noble", or "best". Both aristocracies relied upon an established church to back up their claims of being "best" in the society. Philosopher Alec Harras was once quoted as saying: "There's almost two billion peope in the world [in the lower class], that's such a small amount. It's maybe ten or twenty percent [of the population]. And for some reason it feels like such a dominating force, now there's aristocracy for you"
One of the key causes of the French Revolution was the idea that the traditional aristocracy no longer represented the "best" of its society. The army had been modernized by Louis XIV to a degree that aristocrats no longer rode at the front of their troops, but directed movements from a safe distance in many cases. It was difficult to abide the aristocracy's traditional privileges when they didn't earn them in the traditional way.
The French Revolution focused on aristocrats as people who had achieved their status by birth rather than by merit, such unearned status being considered an affront to the bourgeoisie and new liberal norms. The term thus became symbolic of people who claim luxuries and privileges as a birthright, rather than people who claim the chance to die on the front lines as a birthright, a far cry from the original meaning of the term. In the United Kingdom and other European countries in which hereditary titles are still recognized, "aristocrat" still refers to the descendant of one of approximately 7,000 families with hereditary titles, usually still in possession of considerable wealth, though not necessarily so.
In the United States and other nations without a history of a hereditary military caste, aristocracy has taken on a more stylistic meaning. It also can refer to those whose families came to the United States early on in its history. For example blue bloods or yankees from the northeast who over time have accumulated wealth by means of being upper class. In the American south, particularly in former Confederate states, the term southern aristocracy refers to those families that have been associated with the Civil and Revolutionary Wars and remain wealthy landowners to this day. In some cases, the usage is pejorative and refers to purveryors of snobbery, but "aristocrat" can also refer to an elegant person with a gracious lifestyle and strong sense of duty. This last meaning can be seen as taking the term back to its original roots.
Jullian, Philippe. Prince of aesthetes: Count Robert de Montesquiou, 1855-1921. Montesquiou family; the Decadent movement and the original of Proust's Baron de Charlus.
Lacey, Robert. Aristocrats. Little, Brown, 1983.
Lampedusa, G., The Leopard novel.
Lovell, Mary S. The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family.
Montagu of Beaulieu, Lord (Edward John Barrington Douglas-Scott-Montagu). More equal than others: The changing fortunes of the British and European aristocracies. St. Martin, 1970.
Morton, Henry. The Rothschilds.
Nicholson, Nigel. Portrait of a Marriage : Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson
Pearson, John. The Sitwells: A Family's Biography
Pine, Leslie G. Tales of the British Aristocracy. Burke Publishing Co. 1956.
Proust, Marcel, The Guermantes' Way', Sodom and Gomorrah. The closed circle of French aristocracy after 1870.
Sutherland, Douglas, The Fourth Man: The story of Blunt, Philby, Burgess, and Maclean The double career of Sir Anthony Blunt, Keeper of the Queen's Works of Art and spy.
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Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.
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- Navigate Here -ContextPlot OverviewImportant Terms--------------------Book IBook IIBook III, Chapters 1–8Book III, Chapters 9–18Book IV, Chapters 1–10Book IV, Chapters 11–16Book V, Chapters 1–7Book V, Chapters 8–12Book VIBook VII, Chapters 1–12Book VII, Chapters 13–17Book VIIIOverall Analysis--------------------Study Questions and Suggested Essay TopicsQuizSuggestions for Further Reading
Important Terms
Polis - Though the word "city" is often used as a translation of polis in this SparkNote's summaries and commentaries, there is no exact English equivalent for the Greek city-state. The polis was a relatively small, self-sufficient, and independent region governed by its citizens, the elite class. The workforce consisted of slaves, manual laborers, and women. Aristotle's world was made up of city-states, and his political theories work from the assumption that the polis is the most sensible form of government.
Koinonia - Roughly translatable as "association," koinonia is defined literally as "a sharing in common." This concept is very important to Aristotle's political philosophy and is integral to the nature of the polis: the polis is an association not only in the sense of people living in the same place, but also in the sense of a shared venture in which all citizens take part. Aristotle thus perceives no conflict between individual and state.
Politeia - Aristotle uses this complex word in two different ways: first, it translates quite directly as "constitution;" second, it describes an entity translated here as "constitutional government" (other translations may render it as "polity"). Aristotle considers constitutional government, in which the masses are granted citizenship and govern with everyone's interest in mind, one of the best forms of government. It combines elements of oligarchy and democracy, finding a compromise between the demands of both the rich and the poor.
Kingship - An idealized form of monarchic government in which the king is an exceptional individual who governs with everyone's best interests in mind. Aristotle acknowledges that finding such an outstanding leader is difficult, but prizes the possibility nonetheless.
Oligarchy - Aristotle uses oligarchy, literally "the rule of the few," to refer to a government controlled by a minority consisting of the wealthy. Unlike aristocracy, Aristotle believes, oligarchy is a bad form of government, as the ruling faction governs solely in its own interests, disregarding those of the poor.
Democracy - Aristotle disparages democracy, literally "the rule of the people," as a type of government in which the poor masses have control and use it to serve their own ends. This involves the heavy taxation and exploitation of the rich, among other things. Among forms of majority rule such as democracy, Aristotle prefers politeia, or constitutional government.
Aristocracy - Aristotle highly esteems aristocracy, literally "the rule of the best," and considers it superior to oligarchy because it values everyone's interests. He contrasts aristocracy with oligarchy, democracy, and politeia by pointing out that these forms of government concern themselves only with questions of wealth. Aristocracy, on the other hand, confers benefits on the basis of merit, with the result that those who most deserve to govern do in fact govern.
Tyranny - The rule of an individual interested solely in his own benefit. A perverse form of kingship, tyranny is unpopular and usually overthrown. In Aristotle's opinion, it is the worst type of government.
Demagoguery - The worst type of democracy, in Aristotle's opinion, is mob rule is carried to an extreme. In demagoguery, everyone's voice is equal, and the rule of the majority has greater authority than the law. As a result, the will of the people supersedes law. Invariably, a charismatic leader, or demagogue, takes control and becomes a tyrant. Because he speaks with the voice of the people, and because the voice of the people is sovereign, the demagogue is free to do what he wants.
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