The Ugliness of Oligarchs
Is America ready to embrace the fight against modern-day robber barons?
Oligarchy is an ugly word. It not only looks awkward on the page, but sounds harsh to the ear - starting with a guttural sound and ending with a squeak. Some argue it's too academic for most Americans to embrace, especially now when understanding its threat to our country is crucial. But "oligarchy" is actually simple: it describes a system where a tiny group of extremely wealthy people hold all the levers of power.
We've seen this before. During the Gilded Age of the late 1800s, a small group of wealthy industrialists like John D. Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie essentially ran America. They controlled everything - oil, steel, railroads - and made the government work for them instead of the people. Their power extended beyond industry; they owned newspapers, using media to shape narratives and protect their interests.
The Jim Crow South saw another form of oligarchy. A small group of wealthy, white landowners controlled politics, economics, and society. Through segregation and racist laws, they kept Black Americans and poor whites powerless. They wielded local media as a weapon, spreading propaganda that justified their rule and divided people along racial lines to maintain control.
Today's oligarchy looks different but works the same way. Just look at how a handful of tech billionaires shape our daily lives. Three companies - Meta, Alphabet (aka Google), and Amazon - control what information most Americans see, how they shop, and how they communicate. These modern oligarchs don't just own traditional media; they control the digital platforms where most Americans get their news and form their opinions. When Mark Zuckerberg makes a decision about Facebook's algorithm, it affects what hundreds of millions of people see in their feeds.
Wall Street firms now own vast swaths of American housing, driving up rents while normal families struggle to buy homes. Private equity firms buy up local newspapers, gut their newsrooms, and replace local reporting with syndicated content. Healthcare conglomerates merge into ever-larger entities, leaving rural communities without hospitals while charging astronomical prices for basic care.
But here's the hope: Americans have a long history of fighting back against oligarchs, even against seemingly impossible odds. During the Gilded Age, workers organized unions, went on strike, and demanded laws to protect their rights. Brave investigative journalists - the muckrakers - exposed corruption and greed. These efforts brought real change: monopolies were broken up, working conditions improved, and labor laws were passed to protect the vulnerable.
The solutions today must be just as bold. We need updated antitrust laws that recognize how digital monopolies work. Just as we broke up the Standard Oil cartel, tech giants that stifle competition and innovation cannot be permitted to manipulate and monopolize. We need campaign finance reform that prevents billionaires from buying elections through dark money groups and super PACs. We need to restore local journalism through nonprofit models and public funding, just as we support public broadcasting.
The fight continues in creative new ways. Labor organizers are using social media to coordinate strikes at Amazon warehouses and Starbucks stores. Community land trusts are helping neighborhoods resist corporate landlords. Local governments are creating public banks to serve their communities instead of Wall Street shareholders. Tech workers are blowing the whistle on their employers' abuses and organizing for ethical practices.
Regular people are finding power in collective action. When GameStop traders challenged hedge funds, they showed how coordinated action could rattle Wall Street. When creators unionize on platforms like YouTube and Twitch, they're building worker power for the digital age. When communities create mutual aid networks and alternative local economies, they're building resilience against corporate control.
The key is turning awareness into action. Get involved in local politics where corporate money has less influence. Support independent media and journalists who investigate corruption. Join or help organize unions in your workplace. Move your money to credit unions and community banks. Use alternative platforms that don't concentrate power in Silicon Valley.
Oligarchs never surrender power willingly - they adapt and find new ways to maintain control. But history proves that when ordinary people organize, protest, and demand change, the powerful can be toppled.
Progress may be slow, but it is real. Let us confront the reality of “oligarchy”—an ugly word for the predatory and brutal dismantling of democracy, one that exploits and steals what rightfully belongs to the public. Remember: their power is not absolute. Resistance has succeeded before, and it can again.