Is the USA a oligarchy or a democracy?
Update:
Montesquieu included both democracies, where all the people have a share in rule, and aristocracies or oligarchies, where only some of the people rule, as republican forms of government.
Just because it is a Republic does not mean it cannot have a power structure that is either that of a democracy or oligarchy. That kind of thing should be taught in schools.
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Plutocratic Oligarchy.
Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Massachusetts are known as "commonwealths."
California, New York and Michigan are "states."
Vermont was a separatist republic, before it joined the USA.
Texas was an independent republic after it illegally separated from Mexico.
Hawaii was a kingdom before it was unjustly annexed by the US after Americans deposed the Queen and confined her to her palace.
Alaska was Russian America before Seward bought it, and most Americans didn't want it.
The original 13 states created the USA.
The states that came afterward were creatures made by the Congress, in accordance with the Constitution. So they aren't made of the same theoretical "essence."
The Confederate South "left" and came back under duress.
Almost all of the Great Plains and part of the West came from France (Louisiana) purchased without congressional approval by T. Jefferson.
The Mexican Cession was squeezed from Mexico by "treaty" after the US-Mexican War, an unjust land grab.
ok. what was the question?
A kakocracy government with an oligopoly economy. We're probably headed towards a totalitarian democracy and an oligarchy economy.
It's an oligarchy thinly disguised as a democracy.
A Democratic Republic.
A judicial oligarchy.
Judge Learned Hand referred to the concept as being "ruled by a bevy of Platonic Guardians." As far as I'm concerned, it means the same thing as a judicial oligarchy.
"Each one of us must, in the end, choose for himself how far he is willing to leave our collective fate to the wayward hands of vagarious assemblies. No one can fail to recognize the dangers to which the last forty years have exposed to such governments. ... For myself, it would be most irksome to be ruled by a bevy of Platonic Guardians, even if I knew how to choose them, which I assuredly do not. If they were in charge I would surely miss the stimulus that comes from living in the kind of society in which I have, at least theoretically, some part in the direction of public affairs. Of course I know how illusory would be the belief that my one vote determined anything, but nevertheless, when I go to the polls, I have a satisfaction in the sense that we are all engaged in a common venture." -- From "The Bill of Rights," in 1958.
A Plutocracy. Those with money, win. Period.
This can be seen all the time. Like background checks on gun purchases. 80-90% of Americans, including 74% of NRA members, supported background checks. Gun manufacturers did not like it. So, Republicans filibustered it. End of story. They sure weren't doing the bidding of the people - they were doing the bidding of the elite.
Its only an oligarchy when Democrat 'get out the vote' programs successfully pry low-information voters out of their crack houses.
We are a republic.
This sort of thing used to be taught in schools.
its a republic so help me God in my opinion