Plutocracy: rule by the wealthy
Oligarchy: rule by a small segment of society, usually royalty, the wealthy & connected, or military
The combination of plutocracy and oligarchy is called plutarchy. (source: Wikipedia)
A recent story in Time (The Government Can Use GPS to Track Your Moves) made me wonder just how far, and fast, Americans will tolerate this shift towards giving complete and utter power to this country's wealthiest minority.
Why did this story make me wonder that? In short, it's because the courts decided that the police can put a GPS tracking device on your car without telling you and without getting a warrant if your car is parked on the street or even in your driveway. But, they have to get a warrant if they want to put one on your car when it's parked in your garage. So, those Americans wealthy (or lucky) enough to have garages have more protection under the law than those who do not.
While having money has always been a de facto advantage when concerning matters of the law, such as being able to hire a private (and assumedly more competent and/or less overworked) attorney to represent you in court, this interpretation actually makes wealth a de jure advantage.
And that is shocking in a country that was founded on the principle of equality by people tired of monarchy and looking for a more just nation.
