Aristocracy is a hereditary form of government, where rule is established through an internal struggle over who has the most status and influence over society and internal relations. A system of government is a term that refers to the set of political Institutions by which a Government of a State is organized in order to exert its powers Politics Politics is the process by which groups of people make decisions See also Form of government This article lists forms of government and Political systems according to a series of different ways of categorising them Anarchism is a Political philosophy encompassing theories and attitudes which support the elimination of all compulsory Government, i Authoritarianism describes a Form of government characterized by an emphasis on the Authority of the State in a republic or union An autocracy is a Form of government in which the Political power is held by a single self-appointed ruler A band society is the simplest form of human Society. A band generally consists of a small kin group no larger than an Extended family or Clan. A chiefdom is a type of complex society of varying degrees of centralization that is led by an individual known as a chief. This article is about a type of political territory For other uses see Colony (disambiguation. Communist state is a term used by many Political scientists to describe a Form of government in which the State operates under a one-party system Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system Direct Democracy is a movement within the British Conservative Party dedicated to localism and Constitutional reform as a means of reviving public Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives Despotism is a Form of government by a single authority either an individual or tightly knit group, which rules with absolute political power A dictatorship is usually defined as an autocratic Form of government in which the Government is ruled by a Dictator. A military dictatorship is a Form of government wherein the political power resides with the Military; it is similar but not identical to a Stratocracy, Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed A kleptocracy (sometimes cleptocracy, occasionally kleptarchy) ( root klepto+kratein = rule by thieves) is a term applied to a Kritarchy is a form of government ruled by judges It may have existed in Israel during the period of time described in the Book of Judges and exist in Somalia under the Meritocracy is a system of a government or another organization wherein Appointments are made and responsibilities are given based on demonstrated talent and Ability A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or Absolute monarchy is a monarchical Form of government where the king and queen have absolute power over everything A constitutional monarchy, or a limited monarchy, is a form of Constitutional Government, wherein either an elected or hereditary Monarch is An empire (from the Latin " Imperium " denoting military Command within the ancient Roman government) is a State that Ochlocracy ( Greek: οχλοκρατία or okhlokratía; Latin: ochlocratia) is government by mob or a mass of people Oligarchy' ( Greek, Oligarkhía) is a Form of government where Political power effectively rests with a small elite segment Plutocracy is rule by the wealthy or power provided by wealth Corporatocracy is a Neologism that describes a Government dominated by corporate influence banks and governments A puppet state is a State that is nominally independent but in reality under the control of another power A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Mixed government, also known as a mixed constitution, is a form of government that integrated facets of government by Democracy, Oligarchy, and Monarchy A constitutional Republic is a State where the Head of state and other officials are elected as representatives of the people and A parliamentary republic or parliamentary constitutional republic is a form of a Republic which operates under a Parliamentary system of government The term socialist state (or socialist republic, or workers' state) can carry one of several different (but related meanings In strictly speaking any A capitalist republic is a concept of government completely the reverse of Marxist thought Cybernetic revolt|Artificial intelligence in fiction The concept of Machine Rule is a common theme in Science fiction stories and film, in which an artificially A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of Party system Government in which a single Political party Technocracy: A form of government in which scientists and technical experts are in control "technocracy is described as that society in which those who govern justify themselves Theocracy is a form of government in which a god or deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler Theodemocracy is a political system theorized by Joseph Smith Jr Constitutional theory defines a timocracy as either a State where only property owners may participate in Government; or a government Totalitarianism (or totalitarian rule) is a concept used to describe Political systems where a State regulates nearly every aspect of public and private A tribe, viewed historically or developmentally consists of a Social group existing before the development of or outside of States Many anthropologists use Power is maintained by a hereditary elite, from a caste, class, family (or even some individuals). Elite (also spelled Élite) is taken originally from the Latin, eligere, "to elect" Castes are Hereditary systems of occupation, Endogamy, social culture, Social class, and Political power. Social class refers to the hierarchical distinctions (or stratification) between individuals or groups in Societies or Cultures.

Aristocracies have most often been hereditary plutocracies (see below), with a belief in their own superiority. Plutocracy is rule by the wealthy or power provided by wealth Aristocracies often include a monarch who although a member of the aristocracy rules over the aristocracy as well as the rest of society. Aristocracy can also refer to the highest class in society even if they do not rule directly. They are usually under the leaders of the country in the ladder of status.

The term "aristocracy" is derived from the Greek aristokratia, meaning the rule of the best. ^[1]

Contents 1 History 2 Comparison with other forms of government 3 External links 4 References 5 Further reading

History

The term "aristocracy" was first given in Athens to young citizens (the men of the ruling class) who led armies from the front line. Since military bravery was such a highly regarded virtue in ancient Greece, it was assumed that the armies were being led by "the best". A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking Virtue ( Latin virtus; Greek) is moral Excellence. Personal virtues are characteristics valued as promoting individual From the ancient Greeks, the term passed on to the European Middle Ages for a similar hereditary class of military leaders often referred to as the "nobility". Nobility is a government-privileged title which may be either hereditary (see Hereditary titles) or for a lifetime As in ancient Greece, this was a slave-holding class of privileged men whose military role allowed them to present themselves as the most "noble", or "best".

In India, these men are usually of the martial or Kshatriya caste such as the Gujjars and Rajputs and their sub-divisions. Kshatriya (क्षत्रिय kṣatriya from क्षत्र kṣatra) is one of the four varnas (social orders in Hinduism The Gujjar ( Hindi: गुज्जर Urdu: گجر or Gurjar (Hindi गुर्जर Urdu گُرجر are an ethnic group in India and Rajput constitute one of the major Hindu Kshatriya groups from India

In the Islamic world, the aristocratic caste of Sayyid belongs exclusively to the descendants of Muhammad's immediate family babys and extends to all classes of society. For the Lost character please see Sayid Jarrah Sayyid ( ar سيد) (plural Saadah is an Honorific title IMPORTANT PLEASE READ ##### For all questions relating to the addition of (pbuh peace be upon him or other honorifics This is usually distinguished from the ordinary use of "Sayyid" to mean 'Sir' or 'Lord'.

The French Revolution attacked aristocrats as people who had achieved their status by birth rather than by merit, such as being considered unjust. The term had become synonymous with people who claim luxuries and privileges as a birthright. In the United Kingdom and other European countries in which hereditary titles are still recognised, "aristocrat" still refers to the descendant of one of approximately 7,000 families with hereditary titles, usually still in possession of considerable wealth, though not necessarily so. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Hereditary titles, in a general sense are Titles positions or styles that are Hereditary and thus tend or are bound to remain in particular families

In the United States and other nations without a history of a hereditary military caste, aristocracy has taken on a more stylistic meaning. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Castes are Hereditary systems of occupation, Endogamy, social culture, Social class, and Political power. It also can refer to those, like the Roosevelts, whose families came to the United States early in its history, acquired large holdings and have been able to hang onto their wealth through many generations. In the American south, particularly in former Confederate states, the term southern aristocracy refers to those families that acquired large land holdings before the Civil War and remain wealthy landowners to this day, or to families that lost their wealth in the 19th century but continue to insist on deference. In some cases, especially the latter, the usage is pejorative and refers to purveyors of snobbery, but "aristocrat" can also refer to an elegant person with a gracious lifestyle and strong sense of duty. A snob, guilty of snobbery, is someone who adopts the Worldview that some people are inherently inferior to him/her for any one of a variety of reasons including

Comparison with other forms of government

As a government term, aristocracy can be compared with:

• autocracy - "rule by a single individual", such as a dictator or absolute monarch. For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. An autocracy is a Form of government in which the Political power is held by a single self-appointed ruler
• meritocracy - "rule by those who most deserve to rule". Meritocracy is a system of a government or another organization wherein Appointments are made and responsibilities are given based on demonstrated talent and Ability While this appears to be the same as the original meaning of "aristocracy", the term "meritocracy" has usually implied a much more fluid form of government in which one is, at most, considered "best" for life, but must continually prove one's "merit" in order to stay in power. This power is not passed on to descendants.
• plutocracy - "rule by the wealthy". Plutocracy is rule by the wealthy or power provided by wealth In actual practice, aristocrats' wealth allows them to portray their own virtues as the "best" ones. Usually, this wealth is passed down through inheritance, and in countries like England may be kept intact through primogeniture, in which the oldest child (usually first male) inherits the bulk of the wealth and titles. Primogeniture is the Common law right of the Firstborn son to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings
• oligarchy - "rule by the few". Oligarchy' ( Greek, Oligarkhía) is a Form of government where Political power effectively rests with a small elite segment Whether an aristocracy is also an oligarchy depends entirely upon one's idea of what is a "few".
• monarchy - "rule by a single individual". A monarchy is a Form of government in which supreme power is actually or nominally lodged in an individual who is the Head of state, often for life or Historically, the vast majority of monarchs have been aristocrats themselves. However, they have also been very often at odds with the rest of the aristocracy, since it was composed of their rivals. The struggle between a ruling dynastic family and the other aristocratic families in the same country has been a central theme of medieval history.
• democracy - "rule by the majority". Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system Democracy and aristocracy are incompatible as forms of government due to the hereditary nature of power in an aristocratic system. Exclusion of this was Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, where kind of democracy of nobility (szlachta) existed. The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, officially the Commonwealth of the Crown of the Polish Kingdom and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania also known as the Most Serene Republic Szlachta ( refers to the noble class in the Kingdom of Poland, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (since 1569 semi-federal semi-confederal

External links

• BBC series on recent history of European aristocracy

References

1. ^ The Oxford Companion to British History, John Cannon (Editor), Oxford University Press, 1997, ISBN 9780198661764

Further reading

• Beerbohm, Max, Zuleika Dobson. Sir Henry Maximilian Beerbohm ( August 24, 1872 &ndash May 20, 1956) was an English parodist and caricaturist.
• Bence-Jones, Mark. The Viceroys of India. Curzon family.
• Brough, James. Consuelo: Portrait of an American Heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt's marriage to the Duke of Marlborough. Marlborough family.
• Bush, Michael L. The English Aristocracy: a Comparative Synthesis. Manchester University Press, 1984. Concise comparative historical treatment.
• Bush, Michael L. Noble Privilege. (The European Nobility, vol. 1) Manchester University Press, 1983.
• Cannadine, David, 1998 Aspects of Aristocracy (series Penguin History) ISBN 0-14-024953-2. Essays on class issues, aristocratic family norms, careers.
• Cannadine, David. The Decline and Fall of the British Aristocracy. Yale University Press, 1990.
• Channon, Sir Henry. Chips: The Diaries of Sir Henry Channon Robert Rhodes James, editor. Excerpts from the diaries of a privileged observer, 1934–53.
• Country Life Magazine, Documenting houses, gardens, pictures, horses, local history, debutantes since 1897. Country Life is a British weekly Magazine. It covers the pleasures and joys of Rural life as well as the concerns of rural people
• Forster, E. M., Howard's End. Edward Morgan Forster OM, CH (1 January 1879–7 June 1970 was an English novelist Short story writer Essayist, and Librettist Howards End is a Novel by E M Forster, first published in 1910, which tells a story of class struggle in turn-of-the-century England
• Galsworthy, John. John Galsworthy OM (ˈgɔːlzwɝːðɪ ( 14 August, 1867 — 31 January, 1933) was an English Novelist and The Forsyte Saga
• Girouard, Mark. Mark Girouard (born 1931 is a British architectural writer an authority on the Country house, leading architecture historian and biographer of James Stirling. Life in the English Country House : A Social and Architectural History
• Halperin, John. Eminent Georgians: The Lives of King George V, Elizabeth Bowen, St. John Philby, & Nancy Astor
• James, Henry. Henry James, OM ( –) son of theologian Henry James Sr, brother of the philosopher and psychologist William James and diarist Alice James The novels.
• Jullian, Philippe. Prince of aesthetes: Count Robert de Montesquiou, 1855-1921. Montesquiou family; the Decadent movement and the original of Proust's Baron de Charlus.
• Lacey, Robert. Aristocrats. Little, Brown, 1983.
• Lampedusa, G. , The Leopard novel.
• Lovell, Mary S. The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family.
• Mitford, Jessica. Hons and Rebels. ISBN 1-59017-110-1
• Mitford, Nancy, Love in a Cold Climate
• Montagu of Beaulieu, Lord (Edward John Barrington Douglas-Scott-Montagu). Nancy Freeman-Mitford, CBE ( 28 November 1904, London - 30 June 1973, Versailles) styled The Hon More equal than others: The changing fortunes of the British and European aristocracies. St. Martin, 1970.
• Morton, Henry. The Rothschilds.
• Nicholson, Nigel. Portrait of a Marriage : Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson
• Pearson, John. The Sitwells: A Family's Biography
• Pine, Leslie G. Tales of the British Aristocracy. Burke Publishing Co. 1956.
• Prochaska, F. K. , editor, 2002. Royal Lives ISBN 0-19-860530-7 (Lives series) Excerpted official biographies from the Dictionary of National Biography
• Proust, Marcel, The Guermantes' Way', Sodom and Gomorrah. The Dictionary of National Biography ( DNB) is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history published from 1885 The closed circle of French aristocracy after 1870.
• Sutherland, Douglas, The Fourth Man: The story of Blunt, Philby, Burgess, and Maclean The double career of Sir Anthony Blunt, Keeper of the Queen's Works of Art and spy.
• The Tatler Magazine. Tatler is a British magazine published by Condé Nast Publications.
• Trollope, Anthony The Plantagenet Palliser series of Parliamentary novels. Anthony Trollope (April 24 1815 – December 6 1882 became one of the most successful prolific and respected English Novelists of the Victorian era.
• Wasson, Ellis, Aristocracy and the Modern World, Palgrave Macmillan 2006.
• Waugh, Evelyn. Arthur Evelyn St John Waugh (ˈiːvlɪn ˈwɔː (28 October 1903 &ndash 10 April 1966 was an English Writer, best known for such darkly humorous and Brideshead Revisited
• Waugh, Evelyn, Decline and Fall.
• Winchester, Simon. Their Noble Lordships: Class and Power in Modern Britain. Faber & Faber, 1981.

• British TV series shown on PBS in the United States, Upstairs, Downstairs, The Jewel in the Crown, Brideshead Revisited, The Aristocracy: Born to Rule 1875-1914 (1997)

Film: Gosford Park, The Perfect Husband, A Room with a View

Upstairs Downstairs is a BAFTA and Emmy award-winning British Drama set in a large Townhouse in Edwardian Brideshead Revisited The Sacred & Profane Memories of Captain Charles Ryder is a Novel by the English writer Evelyn Waugh, first published in 1945 Gosford Park is a 2001 film directed by Robert Altman. The Screenplay is by Julian Fellowes, based on an idea by Altman and producer A Room with a View is a 1908 Novel by English writer E M Forster, about a young woman in the repressed culture of Edwardian England.

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