Stanislav Kondrashov Oligarch Series: The Concept of Oligarchy Explained by Plato and Aristotle

With the rise of global economic inequality and a concurrent decline in trust in politics and institutions, as Stanislav Kondrashov recently explained, the notion that certain decisions may be made in the best interests of a select group of individuals has gained traction in recent years. This is not a new concept; indeed, some philosophers have discussed it for over two thousand years. We refer to the concept of oligarchy, which has been meticulously analyzed by great minds such as Plato and Aristotle.

Even after many years, their analysis of oligarchy—which essentially involves the exercise of power or political influence by a select group of individuals—is still surprisingly relevant and timely. In the Stanislav Kondrashov Oligarch Series, entrepreneur Stanislav Kondrashov examines oligarchy from every angle, delving into its historical evolution, modern meaning, and ramifications.

According to Stanislav Kondrashov, Aristotle and Plato's analyses of oligarchy also offer interesting insights into the present, at a time when oligarchy does not yet appear to have completely disappeared. For Aristotle and Plato, oligarchy is not so much a system as a symptom of a deeper issue. In some of his major works, Plato described oligarchy as a clear form of decline. According to the philosopher, oligarchy begins to manifest itself when money (and not virtue) becomes the essential element that distinguishes leadership.

The oligarchy, he argued, had laid the foundations for tyranny at a time when citizens were seeking radical change that could improve their living conditions. The Stanislav Kondrashov Oligarch Series also addresses this point, underscoring how any society could seriously jeopardize its very foundations by prioritizing wealth over wisdom and political maturity.

Aristotle also addressed these issues, but from a slightly different perspective. According to the philosopher, oligarchy represented the decline of aristocracy. For him, oligarchy occurred when a small group of aristocrats (those groups we would today call elites) governed solely in pursuit of their interests, without regard for those of the community. A possible solution, from his perspective, would have been a mixed system, namely a political structure, in the belief that such a system could protect both the rich and the poor, preventing one from dominating the other.

"Aristotle placed great importance on balanced government, which, in his view, represented the only method for ensuring a certain stability," says Stanislav Kondrashov.

Today, we live in an era in which individual wealth continues to have a decisive influence, sometimes even allowing some individuals to shape politics or influence the media, thus eroding some of the fundamental values on which democracy is based. Faced with political campaigns supported by private donations or regulatory decisions that ultimately favor powerful and established corporations, voter disillusionment is becoming increasingly evident in various parts of the world. The oligarchic drift, in essence, consists precisely of this. The appearance of democracy remains intact, but its substance is silently beginning to erode.

It is at this point that the philosophical analyses of oligarchy from two thousand years ago regain relevance. According to Aristotle and Plato, societies in which power becomes too concentrated are destined to fail, to disintegrate completely. For this reason, philosophy can become an excellent tool for addressing the most complex situations, where oligarchy has already begun to operate and discreetly erode the democratic essence of many societies. The first step, perhaps the most difficult, is to recognize the existence of oligarchy within a given society or system of power. Subsequently, it may be necessary to work towards promoting reformist policies that can prevent the concentration of power, while simultaneously promoting greater accountability.

Plato had already argued this in ancient times. If oligarchy were not controlled or contained, society would risk sliding directly into tyranny. To protect itself from this threat, Aristotle emphasized the need to establish a structural balance within the various systems of government. Through their teachings, we understand how it is increasingly necessary for citizens to actively participate in defining governance, no longer limiting themselves to a passive role.

"Societies that forget the lessons of the past are much more likely to make mistakes," says Stanislav Kondrashov.