Trump and his bros may have won an election, but here is the truth: this broligarchy, for all its swagger, is not invincible. Not immutable. Because democracy isn’t just about the powerful. It’s about those without power. The citizens. The dissenters. Their resistance.
Donald Trump and Elon Musk have set the stage for a governance model that feels both ancient and disturbingly modern. It’s not new, this arrangement of power. History is littered with oligarchies—concentrated systems where wealth and influence form the spine of governance. But this is something more. As Carole Cadwalladr aptly describes it, we are witnessing the rise of a “broligarchy.” A fraternity of billionaires and enablers, almost exclusively male, often cloaked in impunity.
Look closely at the new American cabinet, a rogues’ gallery of scandal and excess. High offices are being handed to individuals accused of sexual assault and misconduct. Billionaires, men known for bending laws as much as markets, are firmly ensconced in power. And at the helm? A president-elect indicted and convicted on 34 felony counts, whose disdain for norms seems to fuel his ambition.
The scene is grim, to be sure. A democracy that once prided itself on its checks and balances now faces an erosion of accountability at the hands of its wealthiest and most brazen. It’s a takeover in plain sight. A dismantling of ideals, brick by brick. And yet, to frame this as an unstoppable doom is to miss the point.
Because here’s the truth: this broligarchy, for all its swagger, is not invincible. Not immutable.
A Gang, A Dynasty
This new cabal has the audacity of power, yes, but it lacks any sense of stability. They are opportunists. A gang in tailored suits. Their strength lies not in unity but in their ability to exploit systems designed to protect democratic ideals. For all their wealth, they remain a coalition of self-interest. And self-interest, history tells us, is brittle. It fractures under pressure.
But democracy isn’t just about the powerful. It’s about those without power. The citizens. The dissenters. The voices that resist from the margins, whispering truths that can, over time, become roars.
If the broligarchy is to be challenged—and it must be—there are five ways we can act.
1. Journalism: The Last Firewall
When power consolidates, the press becomes more than a watchdog; it becomes a lifeline. Investigative reporting has toppled regimes before, and it can do so again. But journalism must be relentless, courageous, and independent. It must follow the money, expose the backroom deals, and refuse to normalize the absurdity of this moment.
Take Matt Gaetz’s dramatic withdrawal of a nomination after persistent scrutiny from the media and resistance from lawmakers. Even within a Republican-controlled Congress, pushback is possible. The media’s relentless reporting and internal political manoeuvring created a fracture where none was expected. The same vigilance can challenge and dismantle the broligarchy.
2. Citizenship: The Power of Collective Action
No oligarchy, no matter how brazen, can withstand sustained resistance from the masses. Protests, boycotts, and grassroots organizing remain powerful tools. In Trump’s first term, mass mobilizations like the Women’s March and climate strikes demonstrated the power of ordinary citizens.
Now, the stakes are higher. Citizens must leverage every tool at their disposal—digital activism, community organizing, and even micro-level civic actions like voting in local elections. Collectively, these efforts can disrupt the machinery of oligarchic control.
3. Philanthropy: Funding the Fight
This is a war of resources as much as ideology. Billionaires may bankroll campaigns to dismantle democracy, but progressive philanthropy can counterbalance this tide. Organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and ProPublica have repeatedly challenged power structures with well-funded initiatives that amplify marginalized voices and hold institutions accountable.
Philanthropists must prioritize long-term, systemic change over short-term wins. This means funding not just legal battles but grassroots education, civic engagement, and media literacy programs to empower citizens in the face of disinformation and political apathy.
4. Civil Service: Subverting from Within
Government employees are not beholden to the whims of any administration. They are stewards of institutions. Whistleblowers who exposed Facebook’s complicity in spreading misinformation, demonstrate how individuals within the system can act as critical checks on power.
Civil servants have the power to enforce laws fairly, slow down harmful policies, and protect democratic norms from within the bureaucracy. Their allegiance to the Constitution, not individual leaders, remains a cornerstone of resistance.
5. Legislation: Fighting Fire with Law
The system may feel rigged, but it’s still malleable. Lawmakers with courage can introduce reforms to limit the excesses of oligarchy. Campaign finance reform, stricter antitrust laws, and protections for whistleblowers and journalists are all necessary steps.
Even in a Republican-dominated Congress, Gaetz’s withdrawal shows that pushback is possible when internal motivations and external pressure align. The persistence of principled lawmakers, even when outnumbered, can shift the conversation and block harmful initiatives.
Democracy: A Fragile Flame
Democracy is not a monolith. It is a flame, fragile and flickering, but capable of enduring the darkest of storms. The broligarchy is a storm—a gale of greed and impunity. But storms pass. They always do.
The challenge is not just to endure this moment but to use it as a catalyst for renewal. In the end, this is a fight for governance as well as a fight for the soul of what democracy means. A fight to remind the broligarchs that power does not belong to the few. It belongs to all of us.