User:Ellinikos Aristokratis

Ellinikos Aristokratis (Ελλινικος Άριστοκράτής) is derived from the Ancient Greek words Ελλινικος meaning Greek and Άριστοκράτής meaning Aristocrat. In Anceint Greek Dialogue, Aristokratis (Άριστοκράτής) is derived from "Aristos" (Άριστος) meaning the "best" and "kratein"(Κράτιν) meaning "to rule" therefore making aristocracy "rule by the best".

History
The term "aristocracy" was first given in Athens to young citizens who led armies from the front line with their swords up. Since military bravery was such a highly regarded virtue in Ancient Greece, the armies were being led by "the best". From the ancient Greeks, the term passed on to the European Middle Ages for a similar hereditary class of military leaders often referred to as the "nobility". As in ancient Greece, this was a slave holding class of privileged men whose military role made them see themselves as the most "noble", or "best". In India, these men are usually of the martial or Kshatriya caste such as the Gujjars and Rajputs and their sub-divisions. In the Islamic world, the aristocratic caste of Sayyid belongs exclusively to the descendants of Muhammad and extends to all classes of society. This is usually distinguished from the ordinary use of "Sayyid" to mean 'Sir' or 'Lord'. In this sense, the Sayyid is a born aristocrat on account of his/her blood lineage to the person of the Muhammad and is usually synonymous with high morality, integrity, cleanliness, impeccable manners and deep courtesy. Both aristocracies relied upon an established church to back up their claims of being "best" in the society.

The French Revolution attacked aristocrats as people who had achieved their status by birth rather than by merit, such unearned status being considered an affront to the bourgeoisie and new liberal norms. The term thus became symbolic of people who claim luxuries and privileges as a birthright, rather than people who claim the chance to die on the front lines as a birthright, a far cry from the original meaning of the term. In the United Kingdom and other European countries in which hereditary titles are still recognised, "aristocrat" still refers to the descendant of one of approximately 7,000 families with hereditary titles, usually still in possession of considerable wealth, though not necessarily so.

In the United States and other nations without a history of a hereditary military caste, aristocracy has taken on a more stylistic meaning. It also can refer to those, like the Roosevelts, whose families came to the United States early in its history, acquired large holdings and have been able to hang onto their wealth through many generations. In the American south, particularly in former Confederate states, the term southern aristocracy refers to those families that acquired large land holdings before the Civil War and remain wealthy landowners to this day, or to families that lost their wealth in the 19th century but continue to insist on deference. In some cases, especially the latter, the usage is pejorative and refers to purveyors of snobbery, but "aristocrat" can also refer to an elegant person with a gracious lifestyle and strong sense of duty. This last meaning can be seen as taking the term back to its original roots.