The iron law of oligarchy is the principle that
A) all organizations, even democratic ones, tend to develop into a bureaucracy ruled by an elite few.
B) organizations are established on the basis of common interests.
C) each individual in a hierarchy tends to rise to a pre-determined level of incompetence.
D) most bureaucratic organizations eventually become internally corrupt and ruled through nepotism.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The iron law of oligarchy, a concept developed by sociologist Robert Michels, suggests that all organizations, regardless of how democratic they are at the start, inevitably evolve into oligarchies controlled by a small group of people. This occurs because the complexities of managing large organizations necessitate the delegation of power to a small number of leaders, who then consolidate control.

The Iron Law of Oligarchy Is the Principle That