A Notable Exception

The video explores the relevance of antiquity in understanding modern social science questions, focusing on the Iron Law of Oligarchy, which suggests that all political organizations eventually become oligarchies. The speaker discusses their career journey and how they were influenced by social scientists. They challenge the Iron Law by presenting classical Athenian democracy as a counterexample, arguing that it maintained a robust democracy where ordinary citizens had influence over elites. This counterexample suggests that oligarchy is not inevitable.

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