In the ongoing dance of human history, there exists a constant struggle for power—a struggle between oligarchic forces that seek to dominate, and the masses that long for autonomy and equality. While this dynamic is neither new nor surprising, the question arises: how can we break this cycle? How can the populace avoid being continually swept aside by the manipulative power of the few? In a world where revolutions often give rise to new oligarchies, and where societal systems are inevitably tilted toward centralized control, the solution does not lie in direct confrontation, but in creating a parallel system altogether—one that, by its very nature, renders oligarchic control obsolete.
The central insight in this vision is simple: the people cannot fight the oligarchs directly, because they are always outmaneuvered by the speed and agility of smaller, more nimble groups. Even in the most well-intentioned revolutions, power inevitably consolidates in the hands of a new oligarchic elite. The struggle, in essence, is not about overcoming a monolithic force, but about creating a new power dynamic—one where the power of the masses is embedded in a system that cannot be co-opted or manipulated. It is about creating a framework that makes the very notion of centralized power irrelevant.
The Political Reality of Oligarchies
Historically, the struggle between oligarchies and the masses has been framed as an inevitable binary: the elites against the people. On one side, the oligarchs, a small subset of society, wield power and control, often using their wealth, knowledge, and influence to maintain dominance. On the other side, the populace—a much larger, more diverse group—wants to break free from the yoke of oppression and establish a fairer, more equitable society. But what’s often overlooked in this framing is the repeated cycle that unfolds.
Revolutions, uprisings, and systemic changes often lead to temporary victories for the people, but these victories rarely last. New elites emerge, dressed in the same robes of power as those who came before them. Even when a movement succeeds in dismantling an oligarchy, the vacuum it creates is quickly filled by a new oligarchy, or by subgroups that fight among themselves for control, often with the support of the same structures of power that they once sought to overthrow. In essence, the people win, but only temporarily. The oligarchs—whether through brute force, wealth, or knowledge—are always able to regroup and reassert their dominance.
This dynamic is not confined to one culture or society; it is a feature of human civilization itself. Power, once concentrated, seems to naturally seek to concentrate itself again. The populace, while powerful in numbers, lacks the agility and organization of the oligarchs, and thus it remains vulnerable to manipulation.
The Inherent Nature of Power and Human Struggle
The real crux of this problem lies in the very nature of power—and in the inherent struggle that exists within human societies. There will always be subsets of individuals who seek to leverage their knowledge, wealth, or social capital to gain an advantage. They will seek opportunities to bend the system to their will, not necessarily out of malice, but because power, once tasted, becomes addictive.
This dynamic mirrors the internal, psychological struggle that each individual faces—the inner jihad, so to speak. The battle between our higher aspirations and our baser instincts. Just as a person must wrestle with their own impulses, so too must society wrestle with its tendency to concentrate power in the hands of the few. But just as the internal struggle is a lifelong journey—an ever-present challenge for the individual—so too is the societal struggle for balance between oligarchy and the masses.
What this reveals is crucial: the true battle is not simply against the oligarchs. It is against the forces within us that allow oligarchies to form in the first place. These are not forces exclusive to a small subset of humanity but are traits that exist in all of us: the desire for control, for dominance, for the ability to shape the world in our own image. Until these forces are acknowledged and addressed, no societal change will last. Therefore, the solution does not lie in fighting oligarchs, but in addressing these underlying forces—both internal and external—that breed oligarchic structures.
The Strategy: A Subtle but Shifting Balance
If direct resistance and violent revolution are not the answer, then what is? The solution, it turns out, is not confrontation but subtle influence. The populace, rather than fighting the oligarchs head-on, can align itself with one oligarchic faction over the other, not for the purpose of gaining immediate benefits, but to create a scenario in which the two oligarchic factions are distracted from the people.
This strategy involves choosing a side in the oligarchic struggle—not to bring about an immediate shift in the balance of power, but to create a situation in which the oligarchs do not see the populace as a threat. If the populace subtly supports one faction over another, the dynamics shift. The elites, in their never-ending quest for dominance, focus on outmaneuvering each other, leaving the populace to develop new systems and structures outside the scope of oligarchic control.
This tactic keeps the oligarchs distracted, busy, and, most importantly, united against each other. Their internal battles over dominance create an opportunity for the populace to begin developing new systems—systems that are decentralized, incorruptible, and immune to oligarchic manipulation.
Building Parallel Structures
The key to this strategy lies in building parallel systems—infrastructure, economic models, educational frameworks, and social systems that do not depend on centralized control. By creating systems that are resilient to external manipulation, we can begin to carve out a space in which the people are no longer dependent on the decisions of a small elite. The development of a decentralized economy, for example, removes the power of central banks and corrupt financial institutions.
One notable example of this is the Bitcoin protocol. While the elites of the world were distracted by the old game of power consolidation, a small group of individuals or entities quietly worked on creating the first incorruptible value network. Bitcoin bypassed the traditional, centralized control of money, offering a new system that could not be manipulated or easily undermined by central authorities. Bitcoin represents a paradigm shift in the way we think about money, value, and trust. It’s not just an economic tool—it’s a model for how decentralized, incorruptible systems can take root, even in a world dominated by entrenched elites.
Decentralization and the Loss of Control
The key insight of decentralization is that it complicates the ability to consolidate power. When systems are decentralized, there is no central node to capture, no single point of failure to exploit. By spreading authority, knowledge, and resources across a vast, interconnected network, power becomes diffuse. This is not to say that such a system is perfect or immune to manipulation, but it is far more resilient to control by a small, centralized elite.
The more we decentralize various aspects of society—energy, communication, education, and governance—the harder it becomes for any group of oligarchs to reassert dominance. This process doesn’t require an external fight against the elites; it simply requires creating systems that function without them. As these systems grow and take hold, the oligarchs will lose their grip on the levers of power.
A Philosophical Shift: Moving Beyond “Us vs. Them”
The true power of this vision lies in its departure from the typical “us vs. them” narrative. We are not fighting against the oligarchs; we are creating something that transcends them. The distinction between the elites and the populace becomes irrelevant when the very fabric of power is no longer reliant on centralization.
Moreover, the focus shifts from external resistance to internal growth—a collective growth that leads to a fundamentally different type of society. Just as individuals must master their own inner struggles, so too must societies build systems that bypass the inherent human tendency to consolidate power in the hands of the few.
Moral Governance within Decentralized Systems
In this new decentralized world, we don’t need to rely on moral appeals or revolutions to create a better society. Instead, we bake ethics directly into the structure of the systems we create. Consensus-driven decision-making, transparency, and voluntary participation form the backbone of these new systems. Power is not seized by one group but shared by the many.
Decentralized systems, by design, are inherently incorruptible. They work only on consensus, making it difficult for any one group to dominate or manipulate the process. This is not just a matter of efficiency; it is a matter of creating a system that functions based on ethical principles rather than on brute power.
Conclusion
In the end, the struggle for a just society is not about fighting the elites. It is about creating systems that render oligarchy irrelevant. Through decentralization and the embedding of ethical principles in the very fabric of society, we can build a world where power is not concentrated in the hands of the few. It is not about overthrowing one group in favor of another—it is about transforming the systems that enable oligarchies to form in the first place.
As we embrace decentralization, as we build parallel systems that cannot be co-opted or corrupted, we will create a society where true autonomy and ethical governance are not ideals to be fought for but realities that we can live by. In this world, the old structures of power—dominated by oligarchs—will simply become irrelevant. This is the future we must build, one system at a time.
Khadim Zaman's Blog 