The Institute of Politics and Society has the honour of welcoming Professor Vaclav Belohradsky back. Professor Belohradsky will be proving a public lecture on “Oligarchy and elite populism”.

There are various types of government: a monarchy (government of one ruler), an oligarchy (government of an elite few), democracy (government of many). In fact, throughout all the regions within the world, every country has one of these form of government. Nevertheless, all forms of government comprises of an oligarchy either within a monarchy or in a democracy. For a democracy, these oligarchs can take a form of a political class, which comprises of a group of people who specialised in controlling power. The difference between the ruling minority and the controlled, according to anthological studies, cannot be overcome. There are no exceptions that applies towards the oligarchical iron law, where “any organisation leads to oligarchy, a minority government dedicated to the management of the organisation.”

The implication of this, is that within a democratic government, the form of an oligarchy shifts from a standard form to one with systemic oligarchy where the oligarchs purchase all forms of media to disseminate the elites’ propaganda. The school of political sociology rejects the definition of democracy as a “government of all” because it raises expectations and which is insurmountable and may lead to a populist revolt. How would one define democracy? How would one expect a democracy to remain a democracy with systemic or remain one after the unrelenting force of “the iron law of oligarchy”? What is the difference between a “democratic oligarch” and other forms of oligarchs? How does one become an oligarch? Within the post-modern world, the accumulation of communication networks has created a crisis within democracy. The accumulation of “waste communication” creates a public space that has become so toxic that no elite can obtain long-term legitimacy nor hegemony.

On April 5, 2016 at 18:00, we will try to answer the questions and provide a sustainable response.

Location: ABF
Wenceslas Square, 833/31. 110 00 Praha 1

To reach the ABF house, one will need to go through Wenceslas Square and enter in a passage. House 31 is located between C&A and Hotels of Europe. Additionally, the pathway to the hall will be marked by arrows.

Jan Machacek, Chairman of the Board of Institute, will act as a commentator throughout the lecture for Professor Belohradsky.