Modern Oligarchies

"To consider judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions is a very dangerous doctrine indeed, and one which would place us under the despotism of an oligarchy." ~ Thomas Jefferson

"The real difference between democracy and oligarchy is poverty and wealth. Wherever men rule by reason of their wealth, whether they be few or many, that is an oligarchy, and where the poor rule, that is a democracy." ~ Aristotle

"When economic power became concentrated in a few hands, then political power flowed to those possessors and away from the citizens, ultimately resulting in an oligarchy or tyranny." ~ John Adams

"We have been very effectively pacified by the pernicious ideology of a consumer society that is centered on the cult of the self - an undiluted hedonism and narcissism. That has become a very effective way to divert our attention while the country is reconfigured into a kind of neofeudalism, with a rapacious oligarchic elite and an anemic government that no longer is able to intercede on behalf of citizens but cravenly serves the interests of the oligarchy itself." ~ Chris Hedges

"Because the rich are generally few in number, while the poor are many, they appear to be antagonistic, and as the one or the other prevails they form the government. Hence arises the common opinion that there are two kinds of government - democracy and oligarchy." ~ Aristotle

Modern oligarchies exist in diverse forms.

Oligarchs also co-exist alongside firms and state bureaucracies and agencies in democracies or non-democratic regimes.

Oligarchs do not refer to themselves as oligarchs, but ultra wealthy families and privileged wealth are indicative of the concentration of power and influence amongst a very small, extremely wealthy, elite group.