Oligarchy, << OL uh `gahr` kee, >> is any type of government in which power is held by relatively few people. An oligarchy may take many different forms. For example, a republic may be an oligarchy if only a few people have the right to vote (see Republic ). An aristocracy, in which rulers come from the “best” members of the community, is also a form of oligarchy (see Aristocracy ). In most oligarchies, the ruling group has power because of its wealth or military authority.
Oligarchies have existed throughout history. Most ancient Greek city-states, such as Sparta, were good examples of oligarchy. In those city-states, political power was restricted to a small group of citizens. Modern oligarchies have included the South African government that operated until 1994 under apartheid. Apartheid was a system of racial segregation that also limited political power to a minority of white citizens.
