oligarchy

Examples of oligarchy in the following topics:

• Oligarchy

  • An oligarchy is a form of government in which power effectively rests with a small elite segment of society.
  • Here, the basic characteristics of oligarchy are particularly easy to observe, since the South African form of oligarchy was based on race.
  • Oligarchies are often controlled by politically powerful families whose children are heavily conditioned and mentored to be heirs of the power of the oligarchy.
  • States may be oligarchies de jure or de facto.
  • In de jure oligarchies, an elite group is given power by the law.

• Non-Democratic Governments: Monarchy, Oligarchy, Technocracy, and Theocracy

  • Some nondemocratic governments can be classified into categories such as monarchies, oligarchies, theocracies and technocracies.
  • An example of an oligarchy would be the former Soviet Union where only members of the Communist Party were allowed to vote or hold office.
  • Oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with a small number of people.
  • Forms of government and other political structures associated with oligarchy usually include aristocracy, meritocracy, plutocracy, military junta, technocracy, and theocracy.

• Types of States

  • Other forms of government include oligarchy and dictatorship or totalitarianism.
  • Under this system, governments fall into general categories of authoritarianism, oligarchy, and democracy.
  • An oligarchy is different from a true democracy because very few people are given the chance to change things.
  • An oligarchy does not have to be hereditary or monarchic.
  • An oligarchy does not have one clear ruler, but several powerful people who rule.

• Forms of Government

  • An oligarchy does not have one clear ruler, but several powerful people.
  • Some historical examples of oligarchy are the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Apartheid in South Africa.
  • An oligarchy is different from a true democracy because very few people are given the chance to change things.
  • An oligarchy does not have to be hereditary or monarchic.
  • An oligarchy does not have one clear ruler, but several powerful people.

• Types of Governments

  • An oligarchy is a form of government in which power effectively rests with a small elite segment of society distinguished by royalty, wealth, family, military or religious hegemony.
  • Such states are often controlled by politically powerful families whose children are heavily conditioned and mentored to be heirs of the power of the oligarchy.
  • Oligarchies have been tyrannical throughout history, being completely reliant on public servitude to exist.

• Span of Government

  • An oligarchy is different from a true democracy because very few people are given the chance to change things.
  • An oligarchy does not have to be hereditary or monarchic.
  • An oligarchy does not have one clear ruler, but several rulers.

• Effects of the Peloponnesian War

  • The Spartan army encouraged revolt, installing a pro-Spartan oligarchy within Athens, called the Thirty Tyrants, in 404 BCE.
  • Most of the ruling systems set up by Lysander were ten-man oligarchies, called decarchies, in which harmosts, Spartan military governors, were the heads of the government.
  • Lysander also managed to require Athens to recall its exiles, causing political instability within the city-state, of which Lysander took advantage to establish the oligarchy that came to be known as the Thirty Tyrants.

• The U.S. Political System

  • At times, this influence has grown so noticeable that some have called into question whether the U.S. is truly a democracy of the people or something more like an oligarchy of special interest groups.

• Theories of Democracy

  • Theoretically, Aristotle contrasted rule by the many (democracy/polity) with rule by the few (oligarchy/aristocracy) and with rule by a single person (tyranny or autocracy/monarchy).

• The Habit of Self-Government

  • In Plymouth's form of self-government, the colony was led by a governor and local legislature elected by a local oligarchy; the governor was appointed by the colonial power rather than the English Crown.