How Much Do You Know About Oligarchy?

Oligarchy: A Conceptual Form of Power Structure

• Oligarchy is a form of government in which power rests with a small number of people who may have different distinguishing characteristics.
• The concept of oligarchy has been viewed as tyrannical, relying on public obedience or oppression to exist.
• Aristotle pioneered the use of the term as meaning rule by the rich, which is commonly known as plutocracy today.
• Robert Michels developed the theory that democracies tend to turn into oligarchies due to the necessary division of labor in large organizations.
• The exclusive consolidation of power by a dominant religious or ethnic minority has also been described as a form of oligarchy.
• Examples of oligarchies include Sparta, South Africa under apartheid, Liberia under Americo-Liberians, and Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
• A business group can be defined as an oligarchy if it satisfies specific conditions.
• George Bernard Shaw defined a new type of oligarchy, namely the intellectual oligarchy that acts against the interests of the common people.
• Colombia, Indonesia, Russia, Singapore, and the United States have been described as oligarchies by Jeffrey A. Winters and Benjamin I. Page.
• The Philippines, Ukraine, and Iran have been described as oligarchies due to their respective political and economic structures.
• Some contemporary authors have characterized conditions in the United States in the 21st century as oligarchic in nature.
• Wealthy individuals and organizations representing business interests have substantial political influence, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little to none in the United States, according to a 2014 study by Martin Gilens of Princeton University and Benjamin Page of Northwestern University.

Test your knowledge on the concept of oligarchy - a form of government where power is consolidated in the hands of a small number of individuals. From Aristotle's definition of rule by the rich to contemporary examples in the United States and around the world, this quiz will cover the history, theories, and key characteristics of oligarchies. Put your understanding to the test and see how much you know about this controversial form of power structure.