Question

mention two defects of oligarchy point by Aristotle​

Answer 1

“oligarchic harm” as a dire threat faced by contemporary

democracies. I provide a formal standard for classifying oligarchs: those who use personal access

to concentrated wealth to pursue harmful forms of discretionary influence. I then use Aristotle to

think through both the moral and the epistemic dilemmas of oligarchic harm, highlighting

Aristotle’s concerns about the difficulties of using wealth as a “proxy” for virtue. While

Aristotle’s thought provides great resources for diagnosing oligarchic threats, it proves less

useful as a guide to democratic institutional design. Aristotle raises a deep-seated objection to

democratic forms of “rule by the poor.” A successful response to oligarchy must move beyond

Aristotle’s objection and affirm the demos’ tripartite status as many, free, and poor. I briefly

outline the terms of this “new” mixed regime: one that seeks to tame oligarchy through a mixture

of aggregative, deliberative, and plebeian institutions.