160: Aristocracy, Oligarchy, and Plutocracy May 17, 2015

With the many thousands of words in English, it is important to be able to make distinctions. As such words like aristocracy, oligarchy, and plutocracy are sometimes confused and misused, because they all mean some form of rule by few elite. Aristocracy is rule by a traditional elite, is usually hereditary and these people are held to be made up of 'the best' people socially. Plutocracy is rule by the few very rich. Oligarchy is literally rule by a few, but with no specificity as to wealth or tradition.