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countable and uncountable, plural aristocracies
The nobility, or the hereditary ruling class. quotations examples
But when Nietzsche has the incredible lack of humour and lack of imagination to ask us to believe that his aristocracy is an aristocracy of strong muscles or an aristocracy of strong wills, it is necessary to point out the truth. It is an aristocracy of weak nerves.
1905, G.K. Chesterton, Heretics
That, then, which is called aristocracy in some countries and nobility in others arose out of the governments founded upon conquest.
1791, Thomas Paine, Rights of Man
Government by such a class, or a state with such a government quotations examples
How many false principles have been laid down, how much delusion supported, by reference to the glories of Athens and of Rome! It remained for a later time to observe that those so-called republics were but aristocracy in its most oppressive form; and what are now the people were then positive slaves;...
1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter XXIII, in Francesca Carrara. […], volume II, London: Richard Bentley, […], (successor to Henry Colburn), page 255
A class of people considered (not normally universally) superior to others examples