An oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with a small number of people. These people could be distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, education, corporate, religious or military control. Such states are often controlled by a few prominent families who typically pass their influence from one generation to the next, but inheritance is not a necessary condition for the application of this term.
Throughout history, oligarchies have often been tyrannical, relying on public obedience or oppression to exist. Some consider countries like Russia and China to be oligarchies due to the concentration of power among a few political elites.
It's important to note that the term can be used in a pejorative sense, to criticize or highlight the concentration of power and lack of democratic processes in a society or organization.
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