Civics 101: What's an "Oligarchy"?

And is the United States becoming one? A quick lesson and some trivia!

April 17, 2025

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🧠 Civics 101: What Is an Oligarchy?
Welcome to our first Civics 101 drop: bite-sized lessons on the building blocks of government and power. Today we’re talking about something that sounds like a villain's secret society but is very real: Oligarchy.

📚️ 

Civics 101
What Is An Oligarchy?

🔍 Definition

  • An oligarchy is a government ruled by a small group of people.

  • These people usually hold power because of wealth, military control, family ties, or corporate influence.

📜 A Quick History

  • The word comes from Ancient Greek: oligos (few) + arkhein (to rule).

  • Ancient Sparta was one of the first known oligarchies, ruled by a small elite warrior class.

  • Venice (1300s–1700s) was a powerful oligarchy, run by wealthy merchant families.

👤 Notable Figures & Examples

  • The Medici Family in Renaissance Florence: bankers who held massive political power.

  • The Soviet Union (especially post-Stalin): where political elites (the Politburo) controlled decisions.

  • Critics argue that modern Russia functions as an oligarchy, where wealthy businessmen (oligarchs) hold influence.

  • Some even say the U.S. has oligarchic tendencies, citing billionaire influence in politics. 👀

🤔 Why It Matters

  • Oligarchies tend to concentrate power, reduce accountability, and limit citizen influence.

  • Understanding oligarchies helps us spot imbalances in democracy and push for systems that work for everyone.

🎯 Quick Trivia

  1. Which U.S. founding father warned about the “tyranny of the few”?

    • A. Thomas Jefferson

    • B. George Washington

    • C. Alexander Hamilton

  2. What is the opposite of an oligarchy?

    • A. Autocracy

    • B. Democracy

    • C. Technocracy

Answers:

1)A

2)B

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