Aristocracy

**Aristocracy** is a kind of government that puts power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class. The word aristocracy comes from Ancient Greek, in which "aristocracy" means _the rule of the best_, but it has come to mean rule by Nobility. The word aristocracy can also be used to refer to the ruling class of an aristocracy. A member of the aristocracy is called an aristocrat.

There are different kinds of aristocracy with different ways the government is set up. Historically, most aristocracies were hereditary, which means members of the ruling group passed on their roles to their heir after they died or gave up their role (abdication). In most cases, this was their oldest living son; daughters were usually excluded, or only made heir if there were no living sons. Aristocracies have often had higher and lower roles within them; for example, the role of duke/duchess is higher than the role of baron/baroness.

Some examples of aristocracies in history are the Spartiates in Sparta, the eupatridae in Athens, the patricians in Rome, and the various feudal states in Europe. There were also aristocracies outside of Europe.

## Forms of government

Aristocracy can be combined with other kinds of government.

### Consistent with aristocracy

- Monarchy - (inherited rule by a single individual) One person, called the monarch, is the highest ranking member of the aristocracy, and his or her family is said to be the ruling dynasty, or ruling family. Under feudalism, monarchs would give hereditary aristocratic titles to people, who were considered vassals, or subjects, of their monarch. In some monarchies, like ancient Japan under the Shogunate, the monarch doesn't have as much power as other parts of the aristocracy. In constitutional monarchies, people with aristocratic titles, including the monarch, have little to no decision making power. These monarchies are usually democracies, not aristocracies.
- Autocracy - (all power in one person) Aristocracies in an autocratic society tend to be very small, usually only the autocrat's family or close friends.
- Plutocracy - (rule by the wealthy) The aristocracy is usually made up of the richest people. Sometimes it is not enough just to be rich, you must also be from a special family or ethnic group.
- Oligarchy - (rule by the few)  All aristocracies are also oligarchies.

### Not consistent with aristocracies

These types of governments are founded on ideals that see aristocracies as unfair, unefficient, and to be avoided. It is considered to be corrupt for small ruling groups to form in these kinds of government.
- Meritocracy - (rule by those who are the most able) This system of government seeks to bring the most capable people into positions of power. For example, people who do well on examinations or do well at work while outside of power might be brought into power. The original idea of aristocracy, developed in Ancient Greece by philosophers like Aristotle and Plato, was very similar to meritocracy. Hereditary aristocrats also often saw themselves as being the most capable people to rule.
- Technocracy- A specific kind of meritocracy in which decisions regarding specific fields, like healthcare and agriculture, are made by people who are skilled in those fields.
- Democracy - (rule by the people) Decisions are made by majority rule (direct democracy) or by rulers elected by the people they represent (representative democracy). There are usually not official groups of aristocrats in a democracy. However, rich and famous people sometimes informally form a group of people who get special treatment.