Dictatorship and Oligarchy

By Ragdolls Underground Association

Dictatorship is one of the rivals of the democratic system. It is a system in which the total power is vested in one individual or party.

F. Neumann - “By dictatorship, we understand the rule of a person or a group of persons who arrogate to themselves and monopolies power in the state exercise it without restraint”

An oligarchy is a social system under the political control of a small elite.

According to the theory of Robert Michels, social systems become oligarchical because:

1. People generally prefer to let others make decisions for them.

2. The system’s complexity makes it impossible for people to know enough to participate intelligently in decision making, which makes leaders increasingly indispensable.

3. Those willing to achieve authority are unwilling to give up the resulting privileges and prestige and thus try to consolidate and extend their power in order to keep them.

One party, One Leader and One Programme

Only one exist to rule – a dictator, a single man

Absence of Individual Liberty

No liberty, maximum obedience

National Glorification

Extreme and illogical patriotism/nationalism

Glorification of War

War is the ultimate means of achieving national greatness

Totalitarian State

Controlling each and every aspects of human personality

Racialism

Dictators preach racialism.

Rule or government is held by small portion of populace

Controlled by a few powerful families

People have little or no rights or power

Examples of Dictatorship North Korea – Kim

Jong Il

Examples of Oligarchy

South Africa

Russian Fed.

Aristocrats are not connected to royal families through blood, but they are second in the social hierarchy

Some experts consider oligarchy to be a degenerated form of aristocracy