n this episode, CJ revisits DHP Episode 34, “The Iron Law of Oligarchy,” from 2014, in preparation for an upcoming mini-series on oligarchy & CJ’s argument that modern democracy is just oligarchy with extra steps.
Join CJ as he discusses:
- A little bit about German sociologist Robert Michels, who first described this law
- The Iron Law of Oligarchy as described by Michels in his early-20th century book Political Parties
- The Iron Law of Oligarchy in other contexts
- Some noteworthy exceptions to the Iron Law that various scholars have found, including the International Typographical Union, the New Left student movement of the 1960s, ancient Athens, and Wikipedia
Links
- Sign up for CJ’s upcoming Dangerous History Live-Ceum Course “The Decline & Fall of the Soviet Empire” (Patreon supporters at $25/month & higher can get 15% off)
- Support the Dangerous History Podcast via Patreon
- Other ways to support the show
- Get CJ’s Dangerous American History Bibliography FREE
- Subscribe to the Dangerous History Podcast Youtube Channel
- Follow CJ on Twitter/X
- Follow the DHP on Instagram
- Follow the DHP on Facebook
- Hire CJ to speak to your group or at your event
Like this episode?
You can throw CJ a $ tip via Paypal here:
https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=D6VUYSYQ4EU6L
Podcast: Play in new window | Download