This work has been declared by the AHA board as historic, and is superseded by Humanist Manifesto III. The Manifesto is a product of many minds. It was designed to represent a developing point of view, not a new creed.
Re: the iron law of oligarchy Aug22-09, 10:47 PM JRDunassigned: The iron law of oligarchy is a political theory, first developed by the German syndicalist sociologist Robert Michels in his 1911 book, Political Parties. This is actually wrong.
A state governed by such a group : the English aristocratic oligarchy of the 19th century. ORIGIN late 15th century: from Greek oligarkhia (probably via medieval Latin). Oligarchy means rule by a group, which is how most of the nations of the world are governed today and throughout history. Most of the nations of the world are ruled only by a powerful few. An Oligarchy is a form of government controlled by a group, council, or a board of directors. Oligarchies typically have no constitution nor charter - and the CONTROLLERS have the freedom to rule however they see fit. Citizens have no vote and must put up with whatever their tyrannical rulers decide to do with them.