Where does this oligarchy countries data come from?

Name: Oligarchy Countries
Creator: Rankodex

Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Oligarchic Countries - Governmentvs; 21 Oligarchy Examples - Helpful Professor; Oligarchy - Wiki; Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens - Cambridge University Press.

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Oligarchy Countries

Oligarchy Countries: compare 19 countries on 2 metrics.

Politics & Government19 countries · 2 metricsUpdated Nov 17, 2023Original page

12 sources

Considered Oligarchy

4 values across 19 entries

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19 countries


Bahrain	Sometimes	Despite a constitutional government in Bahrain, the ruling family's influence remains dominant, affecting political stability—and leading some analysts to describe it as an oligarchy.
Cambodia	Usually	Although officially a constitutional monarchy and multiparty state, real political power in Cambodia has been concentrated in one family and a close inner elite circle for decades, with key positions passed through family and loyal networks, leading many analysts to describe t…
China	Usually	China describes itself as a communist “people’s republic,” but leadership of the country has been maintained by a centralized party of elites for decades.
Cuba	Rarely	In Cuba, there is a "modernizing oligarchy"—a political system dominated by bureaucratic and/or military officer groups, where democratic constitutions are set aside in favor of prioritizing efficiency and rationality as part of the modernization process.
Iran	Usually	The politics of Iran have been often characterized as oligarchic. It has been called a theocracy and a clerical oligarchy. Clerics (religious leaders) in Iran have significant political power, supervising the activities of the parliament and controlling the armed forces, state…
Kuwait	Sometimes	In Kuwait, the Al Sabah family's significant power, along with protective laws, has strengthened a small group of merchants, creating a close connection between the country's governance and its businesses, giving the country oligarchic features.
Laos	Sometimes	Laos is a one‑party state governed by Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP), which dominates all political power and controls government, legislature and civil society.
North Korea	Sometimes	North Korea operates as a highly secretive and isolated nation, making it challenging to understand its internal dynamics. However, it is widely believed that a small group of elites, loyal to the Kim family, controls the country, while the majority of North Koreans face pover…
Philippines	Usually	During the presidency of Ferdinand Marcos, many monopolies appeared in the Philippines, giving the country oligarchic elements. Although Marcos spoke about deconstructing oligarchy, many of his close allies benefited during his presidency, leading several analysts to still des…
Russia	Always	The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and subsequent privatization led to the rise of wealthy Russian oligarchs, often connected to top government officials.
Saudi Arabia	Sometimes	Saudi Arabia is a monarchy, but its political arrangement has elements of an oligarchy. Alongside with House of Al Saud, tribal sheiks and wealthy families also have outsized influence on major issues.
South Africa	Rarely	Some argue that the Gupta family's involvement in politics is a sign of new oligarchic system in South Africa. There are several cases where those who belong to the upper class (some of Gupta's allies for example) broke the law with no consequences. Furthermore, many governmen…
Turkey	Sometimes	Turkey might not fit the usual definition of an oligarchy, but because the Koc and Sabanci families hold considerable influence over political choices, some argue it resembles one.
Ukraine	Usually	Following the 1991 Ukrainian independence referendum and the shift to a market economy, business oligarchs gained significant political influence. However, the current war with Russia is weakening the oligarchs' economic influence, particularly as their key assets in the south…
United Arab Emirates	Sometimes	Despite the considerable influence held by ruling families in the seven emirates of the UAE, the country's political structure is arguably better characterized as a federal absolute monarchy, given the absence of typical features associated with rule by a small, privileged gro…
United States	Sometimes	Data often suggests that despite the US being ideologically democratic, its policies are generally determined by a small number of people—the political and economic elite, who use their wealth to fund PACs, finance the campaigns of candidates they favor (and over whom they the…
Venezuela	Sometimes	Venezuela is rarely classified as a true oligarchy, but the new ruling class created by the Venezuelan government, (the Bolibourgeoisie or Bolichicos) and the considerable influence they wield over the government is clearly on the oligarchy spectrum. Moreover, their dominance …
Vietnam	Sometimes	Although Vietnam is officially a socialist republic, real political power is concentrated in the Communist Party, which controls all branches of government and society. There is no organised opposition, no separation of powers, and elections are tightly controlled, leading man…
Zimbabwe	Sometimes	According to some analysts, Zimbabwe is an oligarchy ruled by a small, but influential network of political, military, and business elites. That said, the degree to which the nation is oligarchic is debated.

Quick answers

Where does this oligarchy countries data come from?: Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: Oligarchic Countries - Governmentvs; 21 Oligarchy Examples - Helpful Professor; Oligarchy - Wiki; Testing Theories of American Politics: Elites, Interest Groups, and Average Citizens - Cambridge University Press.