Aristotle, the renowned Greek philosopher, analyzed oligarchy over 2,300 years ago. He provided one of the earliest and most detailed analyses in his seminal work, Politics. His insights into how oligarchies arise, operate, and ultimately collapse remain relevant. They help us understand the dynamics of power and wealth in governance systems throughout history. Aristotle’s Classification of Regimes Aristotle categorized political regimes into two overarching types: "true" forms and their "perverted" counterparts (Aristotle, trans. 1995). The three "true" forms of government, according to Aristotle, were monarchy, aristocracy, and polity. Monarchy referred to rule by a single individual acting for the common…