Michels, Robert (1876–1936)

German social and political theorist. 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.

Originally a radical, he became a critic of socialism and Marxism, and in his last years supported the dictators Hitler and Mussolini. Michels 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.