9781422277737

class conflict in oligarchy, many political theorists consider it an unstable form of government.

Elected and Hereditary Oligarchies Aristotle wrote about various kinds of oligarchies that existed in ancient Greece. In elected oligarchies, citizens elected the ruling members to government positions. However, not every- one could run for office. For example, in some oligarchic gov- ernments, candidates could run for office only if they were born into a ruling family or owned a specified amount of land. Another kind of system was a hereditary oligarchy. Under this system, the members of the ruling oligarchy came only from politically powerful families. Political power was passed on to the son upon the death of the father. Aristotle noted that in hereditary oligarchies powerful ruling families typically held absolute power. The Elite Other political thinkers have theorized about oligarchy. The German-born sociologist Robert Michels (1876–1936) defined oligarchy as elitism—that is, governing in the hands of the elite . “The elite” can be defined as a small number of people who have significant influence over social and political change. Such power may be based on their wealth, their access to insti- tutions of power, or their ability to persuade. The elite typical- ly exercise power in the interest of their own class. Michels proposed a political theory known as the “iron law of oligarchy.” It states that all organizations eventually concen- trate authority in the hands of a few in order to operate effi-

12

Oligarchy: Power of the Wealthy Elite