Oligarchy, OL uh gahr kee, is any type of government in which power is held by relatively few people. An oligarchy may take many different forms. For example, a republic may be an oligarchy if only a few people have the right to vote (see Republic). An aristocracy, in which rulers come from the "best" members of the community, is also a form of oligarchy (see Aristocracy). In most oligarchies, the ruling group has power because of its wealth or military authority.