Concept
Oligarchy
Overview
Oligarchy (from Ancient Greek ὀλιγαρχία (oligarkhía) 'rule by few'; from ὀλίγος (olígos) 'few' and ἄρχω (árkhō) 'to rule, command') is a form of government in which power rests with a small number of people. Leaders of such regimes are often referred to as oligarchs, and generally are characterized by having titles of nobility or high amounts of wealth.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).
In the original texts
Passages from public-domain books where Oligarchy is discussed.
Another sort of oligarchy is, when the power is an hereditary nobility. The fourth is, when the power is in the same hands as the other, but not under the control of law; and this sort of oligarchy exactly corresponds to a tyranny in monarchies, and to that particular species of…
Aristotle, Politics
names the idea; states what it is; author linked in the graph
In an oligarchy however it happens often that many, while practising virtue with regard to the commonwealth, have strong private enmities arising among themselves; for as each man desires to be himself the leader and to prevail in counsels, they come to great enmities with one another, whence arise factions among them, and out of the factions comes murder, and from murder results the rule of one man; and thus it is…
Herodotus, The History of Herodotus — Volume 1
names the idea; opens on it
Next, let us look at another man who, as Aeschylus says, ‘Is set over against another State;’ or rather, as our plan requires, begin with the State. By all means. I believe that oligarchy follows next in order. And what manner of government do you term oligarchy? A government resting on a valuation of property, in which the rich have power and the poor man is deprived of it. I understand, he replied.
Plato, The Republic
names the idea
The power, however, of fixing their own quorum has been avowed, and a precedent set. From forty it may be reduced to four, and from four to one; from a house to a committee, from a committee to a chairman or speaker, and thus an oligarchy or monarchy be substituted under forms supposed to be regular. "Omnia mala exempla ex bonis orta sunt; sed ubi imperium ad ignaros aut minus bonos pervenit, novum illud exemplum ab…
Thomas Jefferson, The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 8
names the idea
Well then, is not the state oligarchally governed when under an oligarchy of this character; and is it not affected by all these evils, and probably more too? It is nearly so, said he. Let us distinguish then this form of government likewise, said I, which they call oligarchy, as one having its governors [elected] according to the valuation of their property.
Plato, The works of Plato
names the idea
Philosophers who discussed Oligarchy
- Thomas Aquinas
- Antonio Negri
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge
- The Buddha
- Averroes
- Benedetto Croce
- Franciscus Patricius
- Leon of Salamis
- Marian Massonius
Related ideas
- Government
- Princeton University Press
- Classical Athens
- City-state
- Iran
- Power (social and political)
- Ancient Greek
- Wealth
- Tyrant
- Delian League
- University of California Press
- Princeton University
- Plutarch
- United States Senate
- Shia Islam
- Syracuse, Sicily
- Nobility
- Thirty Tyrants
- The New York Times
- Aristotle
- Thucydides
- Achaemenid Empire
- Sparta
- Pericles
Opposing perspectives
Place in the tradition
Part of Conservatism.