Oligarchy

JNC Academic Books Verified independent store

→

Jeffrey A. WintersCambridge University Press, 4/18/2011EAN 9781107005280, ISBN10: 1107005280Hardcover, 344 pages, 23.4 x 15.6 x 2.1 cmLanguage: EnglishOriginally published in Engli shFor centuries, oligarchs were viewed as empowered by wealth, an idea muddled by elite theory early in the twentieth century. The common thread for oligarchs across history is that wealth defines them, empowers them and inherently exposes them to threats. The existential motive of all oligarchs is wealth defense. How they respond varies with the threats they confront, including how directly involved they are in supplying the coercion underlying all property claims and whether they act separately or collectively. These variations yield four types of oligarchy: warring, ruling, sultanistic and civil. Moreover, the rule of law problem in many societies is a matter of taming oligarchs. Cases studied in this book include the United States, ancient Athens and Rome, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, medieval Venice and Siena, mafia commissions in the United States and Italy, feuding Appalachian families and early chiefs cum oligarchs dating from 2300 BCE.Part IPrefacePart II. The Material Foundations of Oligarchy1. Toward a theory of oligarchy2. Power resources3. Wealth defense4. Oligarchy and the elite detour5. Types of oligarchiesConclusionsPart III. Warring Oligarchies6. Chiefs, warlords, and warring oligarchs7. Warring oligarchs in medieval Europe8. Appalachian feudsConclusionsPart IV. Ruling Oligarchies9. Mafia commissions10. Greco-Roman oligarchies11. Athens12. Rome13. Italian city-states of Venice and SienaPart V. Sultanistic Oligarchies13. Indonesia14. Untamed ruling oligarchy in Indonesia15. The PhilippinesConclusionsPart VI. Civil Oligarchies16. The United States17. SingaporeConclusionsPart VII. Conclusions18. Other cases and comparisons19. Oligarchy and other debates. Show more