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Democratic Oligarchy
In reality the United States is a democratic oligarchy, as
government by and for the many, and government by and for
the few. Both systems exist simultaneously. The many are the
masses of Americans, and the few are those with the greatest
control over its economic capacities. The democracy is overt,
continuously publicized and touted; the oligarchy is invisible,
operating behind the scenes, and pulling strings by the power
of primarily money, but intimidation and force when
necessary. The democracy in general, acts in the interests of
the non-oligarchical segments of society, while the oligarchy
acts almost exclusively in its own interest. The mass media
continuously publicize the activities of the democracy, and at
the same time never exposes the existence of the oligarchy.
The democracy in theory operates from the bottom up, where
the many vote for the representative few, and the oligarchy
operates from the top down, where the few manipulate the
many. The oligarchy is comprised of the people with the most
money, influence and power. The oligarchy is based around
various units as families, associations, businesses and
corporations. These units act for the benefit of themselves, its
other members as a whole, when it is necessary or suitable,
and will contend with each other when it is not. Oligarchy can
be classified into two types as the old and the new. The old is
based on families that are old and established, and have
accumulated large holdings and wherein succession is by
birthright. The new is the Nouveau riche, that is comprised of
some families, but primarily in these times, it is the power of
the corporations that are owned by numerous individuals, but
that are controlled by the few.
Authoritarianism (38 of 52)
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