Aristocracy,
oligarchy, monarchy, and democracy are old concepts of government which can be traced back to
Ancient Greece.
Aristocracy is "rule by the best," and the concept
comes from Plato's Republic. Plato argued for an aristocracy of philosopher
kings. He thought that philosophers were ideally suited to political leadership. Historically,
aristocracies have been based on wealth or land ownership. But other criteria have been used
throughout the ages.
Monarchies have often flourished alongside
aristocracies. Both have been the targets of revolutionaries, as in eighteenth-century France.
Monarchies are ruled by a king or queen. Throughout most of history, the monarchs' powers were
absolute. Today, most are constitutional monarchs, and they serve as symbols of the state with
few real powers. However, Saudi Arabia is an example of a country where the king still holds
great power.
Democracy is "rule by the people" themselves or
through their representatives. Today, this is the dominant form of government in the West.
However, many believe that their representatives do not always act in the interests of the
people they represent. For instance, in the United States, elected representatives often pass
legislation that overwhelmingly benefits the affluent classes or corporations. Another problem
with modern-day democracy is low voter turnout.
Oligarchy is "rule by
the few," and that often means the rich. Many people believe that the United States is now
an oligarchy rather than a democracy. Billionaires donate huge sums to candidates and are
usually rewarded by the passage of favorable legislation. One way to combat this problem is by
public financing of election campaigns.
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