Politics is whom gets what, when. Bureaucratic oligarchy is the norm, no matter the god-terms employed to justify rule. Elites circulate and mostly despise one another. Nepotism, ethnocentric networking, and credentialism are primary ways to join the elite. Ignore platitudes and ideals. Focus on what people do, not what they say. Abstract theory is important because ideologues exist, but people make policy. The content of people always matters more, and always is there an identifiable “ruling” class. This class is distinct from the “ruled” class that lives with minimal concern for power. The ruling class seeks first to protect position and perquisites. It delivers popular policies as a tool to this end. Though rulers and elites love power, they hate accountability and often wish to be unidentifiable. People don’t yearn for ideals. They yearn for safety, prosperity, a sense of belonging to a group, and a sense of victory over despised “others.” Rulers that deliver this command loyalty. Popular movements against rulers and elites are dissipated without support from current and aspiring elites. “The people” are not an independent political actor, but a tool wielded by one group of elites against another. “Democracy” degenerates into oligarchy due to the logistical difficulties of operating democratic systems. Socio-political myths are foundations of all types of public systems, but especially of the god-terms “democracy” and “liberty.” Successful ruling classes work tirelessly to identify with myths. Loss of faith in myths signal a government can be overthrown. Relatively successful political systems feature a moderate degree of elite circulation, presenting talented newcomers a path upward and failed leaders a path downward. Attempts by rulers to reduce socio-political mobility are an indicator of decline. Insofar as the public ideals of “democracy” or “freedom” have content, aside from rhetorical tools, these public ideals are criticism of the ruling class and some separation of power across institutions. If the public ideals are viewed as essential to material prosperity, they will endure until the mass psychosis of spiritual crisis.