By Isaac Davis - WakingTimes - June 2016 Every four years, the illusion of democracy and accountable government is reinforced to the public by an expensive media circus and presidential election. Meanwhile, an annual conference of members of the world's wealthiest and most influential is held in near-secrecy with little attention given to the significance of such a gathering. Why are we encouraged to vote for politicians, but discouraged from considering the sobering fact that the United States and other Western nations are now ruled by a corporate and private oligarchy? An intensive research study by Princeton University in 2014 concluded that the US is indeed more accurately described as a functioning oligarchy, rather than a democracy or a republic. An oligarchy is a small group of people who effectively control a country, a business, or an institution. Rulers may distinguish themselves as royalty, politicians, businessmen, wealthy, highly educated, or as people in positions of