Ancient Greece Aristocracy

It was a form of governance followed in Ancient Greece. The aristocrats were the people who were part of the aristocracy which gave them not only perks but also a lot of power and respect amongst their people. In other words, aristocrats enjoyed a superior position in society. Aristocracy is a form of government in which the best qualified citizens rule.

The term was derived from the Greek word aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best".

The concept evolved in Ancient Greece, whereby a council of famous citizens was commonly used and contrasted with "direct monarchy" in which an individual king held the power. The Ancient Greeks did not like the concept of monarchy, and as their democratic system fell, aristocracy was upheld.

In Rome, the Republic consisted of an aristocracy as well as consuls, a senate, and a tribal assembly. The Republic ended with the death of Julius Caesar on March 15, 44 BC. Later, aristocracies primarily consisted of an elite aristocratic class, privileged by birth and often by wealth. Since the French Revolution, aristocracy has generally been contrasted with democracy, in which all citizens hold some form of political power. However this distinction is often oversimplified.

In Leviathan, Thomas Hobbes describes an aristocracy as a commonwealth in which the representative of the people is an assembly by part. Simply put, a government when only a certain part of the general public can represent the public.Modern depictions of Aristocracy regard it not as a legitmate Aristocracy (rule by the best) but rather as aplutocracy (rule by the wealthy). This would basically adhere to Karl Marxs principle of the haves ruling over the have nots due to money giving them the ability to dominate.

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