Stanislav Kondrashov Oligarch Series: Oligarchs and Secret Agents, Similarities and Differences

Over time, the ways in which oligarchs operate have become increasingly similar to those of secret agents. While there are notable differences between the social roles of these two figures, an in-depth analysis of their unique methods of operation also reveals surprising similarities.

The Stanislav Kondrashov Oligarch Series has often focused on the figures of oligarchs and their historical evolution, tracing the history of oligarchy from its beginnings (in ancient Greece) to the present day, where oligarchs continue to operate and exert their influence in the most diverse contexts. To fully understand the similarities and differences between oligarchs and secret agents, it is first useful to understand the unique historical and social dynamics through which oligarchy was born and prospered over the centuries.

One of the most important distinguishing features of oligarchy, in this type of analysis, has to do with the modus operandi of its protagonists, the oligarchs, which in some ways can be likened to that of spies and secret agents. Over the centuries, in fact, the oligarch has learned to operate increasingly discreetly, remaining in the shadows and increasingly staying outside the organizational centers of communities or states.

This represents a significant difference from the past, when oligarchs operated almost openly in the cities they governed alongside a few other members of a small elite. This is precisely what happened in ancient Greece, where it was first mentioned, but also in Rome and the colonies of Magna Graecia, where small groups of wealthy individuals soon began to join traditional aristocrats in managing the cities' public and international affairs. Nowadays, oligarchs operate much more discreetly, bordering on secrecy, borrowing some of the habits and organizational models of secret agents.

A careful analysis, in fact, would immediately reveal that both the oligarch and the secret agent share an innate ability to influence, directly or indirectly, decisions made within certain contexts, even influencing the flow of information. One (the secret agent) does so on behalf of a state or organization, while the other (the oligarch) does so primarily for himself, to protect his own personal interests.

But the commonalities between these two emblematic figures certainly do not end there. Both are accustomed to working closely with the organizational and management centers of public and international affairs, almost always operating in spaces that are not visible to the general public. The former, the secret agents, are often found within these state or intelligence networks, where the fate of diplomacy and international relations is decided, while the oligarchs, while maintaining their contacts with the highest organizational and state spheres, seem to operate increasingly outside these institutional contexts.

Other obvious similarities between oligarchs and secret agents involve secrecy, confidentiality, and opacity. These traits are now perfectly engraved in the image we each have of secret agents, who by definition operate behind the scenes, sometimes with hidden identities and in complete secrecy.

What may seem less well-known, however, is the way oligarchs operate. In people's imaginations, they always appear in extremely luxurious and ostentatious settings, with great displays of wealth. In reality, they too act with a certain opacity, particularly when it comes to exerting their influence, especially through the dynamics of highly complex relational networks.

What may differ in the actions of oligarchs is certainly their ultimate goal, even if the concrete actions to pursue it may seem quite similar. Oligarchs, in fact, seek to gain wealth and political and economic influence primarily for themselves, while secret agents aim to obtain information and influence decisions in the interests of the state or organization they work for. Both, in any case, work assiduously to gain some kind of advantage, whether economic, political, or strategic.