Abstract
Theories of elite democracy claim to show how representative institutions can govern in the common interest and maintain the confidence of the citizenry. Critics have brought attention to the problem of inequality in representative systems, but usually in terms of a participatory concept of democracy. Instead, this article turns to Aristotle to evaluate representative government in terms of moderation and stability that should be favorable to the claims of elite democracy. Even allowing for a moderate degree of inequality, representative government should be considered a form of oligarchy. From this perspective, a wide range of audiences (not just participatory democrats) can recognize a crisis of political inequality and the need for participatory reforms.
