1876-1936. German social and political
theorist. Originally a radical, he became a
critic of socialism and Marxism, and in his
last years supported Hitler and Mussolini. In
Political Parties 1911 he propounded the Iron
Law of Oligarchy, arguing that in any
organization or society, even a democracy,
there is a tendency towards rule by the few
in the interests of the few, and that
ideologies such as socialism and communism
were merely propaganda to control the masses.
He believed that the rise of totalitarian
governments - both fascist and communist - in
the 1930s confirmed his analysis and proved
that the masses were incapable of asserting
their own interests.