The greatest theorist of modern oligarchy is Robert Michels (1876–1936). It is he who, in his classic 1911 text On the Sociology of the Party System in Modern Democracy, coined the phrase the “iron law of oligarchy” (Michels, 1962, p. 356).
Where did oligarchy come from?
The term oligarchy refers to a form of government in which political power is in the hands of a small minority. The word oligarchy derives from the Greek word oligarkhia (government of the few) , which is composed of oligoi (few) and arkhein (to rule).
How was oligarchy formed?
Most classic oligarchies have resulted when governing elites were recruited exclusively from a ruling caste —a hereditary social grouping that is set apart from the rest of society by religion, kinship, economic status, prestige, or even language. Such elites tend to exercise power in the interests of their own class.
Who has the power in a oligarchy?
Oligarchy is a form of government in which a small group of people hold most or all political power .
Why was oligarchy used?
The term was used by Aristotle to refer to despotic power exercised by a small and privileged group for often corrupt or selfish purposes . In most classic oligarchies, governing elites were recruited exclusively from a hereditary ruling caste, whose members tended to exercise power in the interests of their own class.
Is United States an oligarchy?
The modern United States has also been described as an oligarchy because some literature has shown that economic elites and organized groups representing special interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent ...
Is America a plutocracy?
According to Kevin Phillips, author and political strategist to Richard Nixon, the United States is a plutocracy in which there is a “fusion of money and government.”
What are the advantages of an oligarchy disadvantages?
- It encourages income inequality. ...
- It inhibits growth over time. ...
- It can disrupt the economy. ...
- It can be restrictive. ...
- It creates puppet leaders.
What is an example of oligarchy?
Examples of a historical oligarchies are Sparta and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth . A modern example of oligarchy could be seen in South Africa during the 20th century. Capitalism as a social system, exemplified most notably by the United States, is sometimes described as an oligarchy. ...
What is a synonym for oligarchy?
autocracy , oppression, domination, cruelty, authoritarianism, despotism, totalitarianism, coercion, terrorism, absolutism, severity, monocracy, fascism, totality, imperiousness, high-handedness, unreasonableness, reign of terror, peremptoriness.
What is good about oligarchy?
One of the main pros of oligarchy is that it puts power in the hands of people who are often experts and can make informed decisions for the populous or company . It therefore is more efficient than every single person being able to make decisions, and can often free up people to focus on their own work or lives.
What are the 2 types of oligarchies?
The correct answer is D ( theocracy and communism ) because the definition of an oligarchy is when a group of people rules over a majority.
What is an oligarchy class 12?
It is a form of government where power is exercised by a group of man . For eg. Roman empire. 2Thank You. CBSE > Class 12 > History.
What was the first oligarchy?
The Athenian coup of 411 BC was the result of a revolution that took place during the Peloponnesian War between Athens and Sparta. The coup overthrew the democratic government of ancient Athens and replaced it with a short-lived oligarchy known as the Four Hundred .
Will all democracies eventually evolve into oligarchies?
The iron law of oligarchy is a political theory first developed by the German-born Italian sociologist Robert Michels in his 1911 book, Political Parties. ... Michels’s theory states that all complex organizations, regardless of how democratic they are when started, eventually develop into oligarchies.
