Oligarchic Rule in the Americas, South to North

Abstract

This introductory chapter states the principal premises of the argument to follow, namely that oligarchic rule remains present and important even as democracy advances; and that oligarchic rule in Latin America and the United States can be addressed and compared in the same terms. It also claims that the political development of the Americas, North and South, are far more similar than commonly supposed, once the inquiry is focussed on the political conditions that render oligarchic rule compatible with democracy. The terms of the comparison between the two are set in Latin America, so driving the argument South to North and creating a novel perspective on the politics of the United States. These terms also serve to outline the parameters of a comparative politics of the Americas. The chapter also provides a brief synopsis of argument of the book, chapter by chapter.