17
A leap into the troubled history of oligarchies
In ancient Greece , oligarchy was the norm . Cities such as Sparta and Athens had political systems where a small number of wealthy citizens exercised power over the majority of the inhabitants , who were often slaves or foreigners . The Spartan oligarchy , for example , was based on a minority of warriors who controlled a vast population of helots , slaves from conquered lands , whose labor was essential to the economy of the city-state . Their preoccupation with wealth and personal power often led to the oppression of those below them in the social hierarchy . Centuries later , slavery and colonization would be formidable weapons used by the oligarchy to enrich themselves and oppress the masses . No doctrine is sustainable without propaganda , and oligarchs have always understood this . In ancient Greece , oligarchy was often associated with an aristocratic elite that controlled not only economic resources but also information . Aristocrats used rhetoric and propaganda to promote their interests and justify their domination . Political orators such as Demosthenes played a crucial role in disseminating oligarchic ideas through public speeches , demonstrating how the control of discourse could influence politics and social thought .
Flashmag ! Issue 158 March 2025
The media at the service of the oligarchy
In the Middle Ages , the role of the media evolved with advances in the transmission of information . Oligarchs , often in the form of feudal lords , used chroniclers and writers to disseminate narratives that legitimized their authority . Churches and religious institutions controlled much of the information , using liturgy and sacred writings to influence the masses . These narratives served to maintain social control and reinforce ideas that conformed to the oligarchy , through stories that glorified nobility and divinity .
17