American Alawites
30th November 2021
ZMan does some analogizing.
Minority rule is one of those things that on the surface should be rare but is actually quite common in human history. The most common form of minority rule is when one people conquer another and then install their people as rulers. This small ruling class is backed by the conquering power. In the Bronze Age it was not unusual for one city-state to rule over the surrounding city-states. The great leader would rule not only his own people but the people he subjugated.
In medieval times, the family trees of ruling elites were often quite complicated so the duke of some territory might not speak the language of the people over whom he was the ruler. Conquest also played a role. The Normans who were “invited” to conquer Britain did not speak the local language. People were tied to the land, so when a successful ruler conquered new lands, he inherited the people. His descendants would then inherit a kingdom of strangers.
Ruling classes, in general, are a form of minority rule. In South America, most of the countries are controlled by a relatively small number of families that make up the ruling elite of the country. These families trace their origins to Europe, marry amongst each other and keep a tight grip on power. It is why the complexion of the political elite rarely has the same hue as the general public. This demographic realty of ruling elites is true to some degree everywhere in the world.