Dr. Martin Hash Podcast

Oligarchies are an organized minority exploiting the unorganized majority. They maintain their power through their relationships with each other, and have the power to benefit themselves at the expense of everyone else. They gain control of a nation, usually through aristocracy, but corporations and other Special Interests can create a democratically elected oligarchy, like in the U.S. A benign oligarchy does have “a rising tide raises all boats” aspect to it so as they become more rich and successful, their inventions and success benefit society as well, but as the oligarchy coalesces power, it becomes virtually impossible for an average person to enter the elite group. Obviously, oligarchies increase income inequality, and siphon off a nation's wealth, leading to a plutocracy, which is an oligarchy whose members are rich.

An autocracy is a form of government where one single individual has supreme authority. It's well known that autocracy improves efficiency; it's less well known that it also is a bulwark against the insidious corruption of oligarchies. Any society will eventually become an oligarchy because insightful people learn how to subtly manipulate the levers of power; the more complicated, the more invisible the influence, but an autocracy seems a poor alternative. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be another?