The rights, properties, and even the lives of ordinary citizens are at the disposal of the nobles.

Countries ruled by an aristocracy are marked by the lack of civil liberties and privileges, as the sole control of such a government lies with nobles and their families who have the freedom to pass unjust laws.

The leaders in such a government are not accountable for their actions, as there are no checks and balances.

An aristocracy is the rule by a few privileged classes, and may not reflect the wishes of the general public, as they are not allowed to vote.

This form of government is advantageous in cases of military conflict, since it results in a well-organized chain of command.Ideally, well-intentioned leaders in an aristocracy can do what is best for the country, without getting swayed by public opinion.The less number of leaders involved increases the efficiency of the government, by reducing chances of political deadlocks and disagreements.

The patronage of the ruling classes has led to the blossoming of arts and culture in historical kingdoms ruled by aristocrats.

It prevents the rise of a single dictator, by distributing power between members of a council.

This form of government intends to give the leadership into the hands of highly-qualified people, which is laudable.

Now, we’ll have a look at the various pros and cons of an aristocracy government. The Saudi Arabian government is an example of a modern aristocracy, where the king is the supreme ruler, and is assisted by officials who come from the royal family, or are appointed by the king himself. Historical examples of aristocracies include, the governments of ancient Greek city-states like Athens, 17th to 19th century England, and the Chinese Shang Dynasty.

This hereditary transfer of power was based on the belief that good leadership qualities were passed down the bloodline. In a majority of aristocracies, both historical and modern, the ruling classes appointed their own heirs as successors. Sometimes, the monarch himself was selected from among the aristocratic classes. This led to the rise of a noble class, members of which held official titles, like a Baron, Duke, Earl, and Lord, and assisted the king in ruling his kingdom. Though some aristocracies have existed independently of a monarch in history, in most cases, this system grew under the framework of a monarchy. In historical times, this system was made up of a council of the privileged classes, either ruling by themselves or under a king. In some places, age and experience plays an important role, resulting in councils formed by the senior-most members of society. In these cases, it will be called a plutocracy and theocracy, respectively. In addition to political, moral, intellectual, and military superiority, an aristocracy may also include members of the elite from wealthy or religious backgrounds. This form of government originated in ancient Greece, where, apart from the political clans and top clergymen, the population was largely illiterate, making highly-qualified men desirable. The term ‘aristocracy’ has been derived from the Greek word ‘aristokratia’, which is literally translated as ‘rule of the best’. Additionally, it was thought that the members of such privileged classes possessed the valor for battle in their youth, and the ability to give valuable advice in old age. It is based on the presumption that only those with the highest moral and intellectual standards deserve to rule, and that the disorderly masses could not be expected to have the aptitude for political affairs. An aristocracy is a form of government where leaders are drawn from the elite classes of society.

Characteristics of plutocracy