Aristocracy

The Ancient Greek term aristocracy meant a system of government with "rule by the best". This is the first definition given in most dictionaries. The word is derived from two words, "aristo" meaning the "best" and "kratia" "to rule". Because everyone has different ideas about what is "best", especially in relation to government, the term is tricky to apply in this sense. Aristocracies have most often been hereditary plutocracies (see below), where a sense of historical gravitas and noblesse oblige demands high minded action from its members.

Further reading

• Beerbohm, Max, Zuleika Dobson.
• Cannadine, David, 1998 Aspects of Aristocracy (series Penguin History) ISBN 0140249532. Essays on class issues, aristocratic family norms, careers.
• Channon, Sir Henry. Chips: The Diaries of Sir Henry Channon Robert Rhodes James, editor. Excerpts from the diaries of a privileged observer, 1934–53.
• Country Life Magazine, Documenting houses, gardens, pictures, horses, local history, debutantes since 1897.
• Cannadine, David, 1992.The Decline and Fall of the British Aristocracy
• (DNB) Prochaska, F.K., editor, 2002. Royal Lives ISBN 0198605307 (Lives series) Excerpted official biographies from the DNB
• (Curzon, etc.) Bence-Jones, Mark. The Viceroys of India
• Forster, E.M., Howard's End.
• Galsworthy, John. The Forsyte Saga
• Girouard, Mark. Life in the English Country House : A Social and Architectural History
• Halperin, John. Eminent Georgians: The Lives of King George V, Elizabeth Bowen, St. John Philby, & Nancy Astor
• James, Henry. The novels.
• (Marlborough) Brough, James. Consuelo: Portrait of an American Heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt's marriage to the Duke of Marlborough.
• (Mitfords) Lovell, Mary S. The Sisters: The Saga of the Mitford Family
• Mitford, Jessica. Hons and Rebels. ISBN 1590171101
• Mitford, Nancy, Love in a Cold Climate
• Montagu of Beaulieu, Lord, Edward John Barrington Douglas-Scott-Montagu. More equal than others: The changing fortunes of the British and European aristocracies by Montagu of Beaulieu
• (Montesquiou) Jullian, Philippe. Prince of aesthetes: Count Robert de Montesquiou, 1855-1921. The Decadent movement and the original of Proust's Baron de Charlus.
• (Rothschild)Morton, Henry. The Rothschilds
• (Sackville-West/Nicholson) Nicholson, Nigel. Portrait of a Marriage : Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson
• (Sitwell) Pearson, John. The Sitwells: A Family's Biography
• Proust, Marcel, The Guermantes' Way, Sodom and Gomorrah. The closed circle of French aristocracy after 1870.
• Sutherland, Douglas, The Fourth Man: The story of Blunt, Philby, Burgess, and Maclean The double career of Sir Anthony Blunt, Keeper of the Queen's Works of Art and spy.
• The Tattler Magazine.
• Trollope, Anthony The Plantagenet Palliser series of Parliamentary novels.
• Waugh, Evelyn. Brideshead Revisited
• Waugh, Evelyn, Decline and Fall.
• BBC/PBS series, Upstairs, Downstairs, The Jewel in the Crown, Brideshead Revisited, 1875-1914 (1997)

Film: Gosford Park The Perfect Husband A Room with a View

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Gosford Park - The Perfect Husband - A Room with a View

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