Category: Politics, Power, and Governance

Aristotle writes that -“Aristocracy is rule by the best-qualified citizens, those with the highest virtue and wisdom, rule for the common good. Oligarchy is when men of property have the government in their hands… wherever men rule by reason of their wealth, whether they be few or many, that is an oligarchy, and where the poor rule, that is a democracy.”

So Natural Aristocracy consists in a legacy of demonstrated competency in service of the polity. For this reason ancients prefered men of breeding (wealth, eduction), courage (war, fitness), and character (virtuous contribution to the commons).
And natural aristocracy requires a market for ascent into politics (elected monarchy (one) or nobility (many)).

So the primary measure is moral: whether you rule in the common interests of the people across the classes or not. Or whether you rule for self interest at their expense. (This is the reason for aristotle’s ethics being taught in public schools in britain, because that is what it teaches., As do the germanic myths, legends, and fairy tales, and even Aesop’s fables.)

In practice Oligarchies form when the financial interests that are allowed to prey on the people are merged with the political interests that switch to serving their ‘bribers’ among the wealthy.

Russia is an explicity oligarchy run as an organized crime syndicate. China is a much larger one run as the same. Most of europe still retains some class distinctions where there are oligarchs but the democratic process works well enough to contain SOME of the malincentives. America is clearly a financial oligarchy buying its interests from the state at the expense of the people.

Note that we are (I am) fairly certain we (the institute) have solved this problem in the only way possible – and if no other interruptions in my health, we should get it to final draft this year.

Aristotle writes that -“Aristocracy is rule by the best-qualified citizens, those with the highest virtue and wisdom, rule for the common good. Oligarchy is when men of property have the government in their hands… wherever men rule by reason of their wealth, whether they be few or many, that is an oligarchy, and where the poor rule, that is a democracy.”

So Natural Aristocracy consists in a legacy of demonstrated competency in service of the polity. For this reason ancients prefered men of breeding (wealth, eduction), courage (war, fitness), and character (virtuous contribution to the commons).
And natural aristocracy requires a market for ascent into politics (elected monarchy (one) or nobility (many)).

So the primary measure is moral: whether you rule in the common interests of the people across the classes or not. Or whether you rule for self interest at their expense. (This is the reason for aristotle’s ethics being taught in public schools in britain, because that is what it teaches., As do the germanic myths, legends, and fairy tales, and even Aesop’s fables.)

In practice Oligarchies form when the financial interests that are allowed to prey on the people are merged with the political interests that switch to serving their ‘bribers’ among the wealthy.

Russia is an explicity oligarchy run as an organized crime syndicate. China is a much larger one run as the same. Most of europe still retains some class distinctions where there are oligarchs but the democratic process works well enough to contain SOME of the malincentives. America is clearly a financial oligarchy buying its interests from the state at the expense of the people.

Note that we are (I am) fairly certain we (the institute) have solved this problem in the only way possible – and if no other interruptions in my health, we should get it to final draft this year.

Reply addressees: @cavaller_humil