The Routledge Dictionary of Politics, Third Edition
Oligarchy is one of Aristotle’s basic forms of government. His theory, the first ever, of comparative government distinguished forms of government along two dimensions, one dealing with how many people ruled a society, and the other with whether they acted in the public interest or in their own interest.
Oligarchy, according to this schema, is the rule of a few, in their own interests. It contrasts on one dimension with monarchy (literally the rule of one) and democracy, and on the other with aristocracy, also referring to the rule of a few, but where the few are the best of the society ruling in the public interest. In general it connotes any level of political system ruled undemocratically, and primarily to serve their own interests, by a small group.
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