1. Maybe you were just trying to catch the readers eye, but using the word oligarchy would be pushing it too far. Our society is far more open and freer than Russia or even China. It's a luxury that the aam admi comfortably ignores. So even if you were trying to make a point, I don't think it's appropriate to use the word oligarch. 2. I think this process is a part of us maturing as a democracy. 3. Nothing less can be said of the US too. In fact one of the primary reasons GM failed and all other US automakers are in shambles is because of the powerful auto-lobby in DC. They successfully coerced congress to postpone a bill that mandates minimum requirements for miles/gallon for SUVs and cars. This was supposed to be passed in the early-mid 1990s, which finally did get through about a few months ago. Same with the oil lobby in DC, very much with the farm and meat lobby in DC too, so I don't think there's much difference....maybe you can call that professionally done white collar and documented corruption, and here its very haphazard and murky!