oligarchy
2 antonyms and opposites of oligarchy, grouped by meaning.
Noun — A system of government in which power rests with a small group of people, typically the wealthy, rather than with the population as a whole.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A system of government in which power rests with a small group of people, typically the wealthy, rather than with the population as a whole.
“Critics argue the country has drifted from democracy into oligarchy.”
Opposites
Antonyms
How to use oligarchy
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Formal and generally critical. Calling a system an oligarchy is an accusation, not a neutral classification.
Etymology
From Greek oligarkhia, from oligoi "few" and arkhein "to rule": rule by the few.
Full origin of oligarchy →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an oligarchy and an aristocracy?
Both are rule by a few, but aristocracy was traditionally understood as rule by the best-qualified, and in practice by hereditary nobility. Oligarchy is the unflattering term: rule by a few for their own benefit, usually on the basis of wealth.
What is the difference between oligarchy and plutocracy?
An oligarchy is rule by a small group, whatever holds it together — wealth, family, military rank or party membership. A plutocracy is specifically rule by the rich. Most plutocracies are oligarchies, but not every oligarchy is a plutocracy.
Is the United States an oligarchy?
It is a constitutional republic with elections, so it is not an oligarchy in the formal sense. Some political scientists nonetheless argue it functions as one, citing studies that find policy tracks the preferences of wealthy donors far more closely than those of ordinary voters. The claim is contested.