159k views
4 votes
the ancient greek city state of sparta was ruled by a gerousia. a gerousia was a council made up of members who were at least 60 years old and served for life. the political power within the ruling class accumulates with age, making the oldest the holders of the most power. in many preindustrial societies, people over 65 still have influence and power and their vast knowledge is respected. this type of political and social structure is known as a . responses republic republic gerontocracy gerontocracy stateless society stateless society theocracy theocracy

1 Answer

6 votes

Gerontocracy.

Gerontocracy is a form of social organization in which the elderly hold the majority of power and influence. In a gerontocracy, older people are valued for their wisdom and experience, and their accumulated knowledge and skills are highly respected. This type of political and social structure has been observed in various cultures throughout history, including Sparta, as described in the prompt. While gerontocracy is not as prevalent in modern societies, there are still some cultures where the elderly hold a significant amount of power and influence, such as in some Indigenous communities.

User Sahas Katta
by
7.7k points