Are oligarchs an elite group like other elites, capable of shaping politics? If not, what sets them apart in terms of political influence? How did oligarchs emerge historically?

All societies, including democracies, have some members who are far more powerful than others. There are two questions we should always ask about this phenomenon: how unequal is the distribution of power in society (meaning the scale or degree of inequality), and what is the basis of the power inequalities? [...]