A special place in the structure of social relations has always been occupied and is occupied by political elites and political leaders, whose social role and importance in the modern world have noticeably increased. Under conditions of diverse in form and deep in content economic, socio-political and cultural transformations carried out in various countries of the world, effective management of all spheres of public life, determination of the optimal course for the political development of society is required. This can only be ensured by a highly professional political elite serving the people and purposeful, rationally acting political leaders defending national interests.
Term "elite"(from lat. eligere and fr. elite) means - the best, choice, favorite.
The formulation of the problem of "chosen people" in the history of social thought dates back to the times of ancient times. another Chinese thinker Confucius(V-IV centuries BC) divided society into "noble men" and "low people". ancient greek philosopher Plato, believed that already in the primary society (“the society of cattle”), for its balance, “the upper class, the class of rulers, capable of rationally organizing and leading social life is needed. The "higher nobility", the highest stratum of society in the Middle Ages, singled out in the social structure Niccolo Machiavelli, and in modern times - Friedrich Nietzsche, Arthur Schopenhauer and other thinkers.
The political elite, as a group of people professionally engaged in managerial activities in the field of political relations, is formed with the emergence of the state. Initially, the political elite was made up of specially trained people - managers, whom the ruling class in society singled out for the implementation of state administration.
In modern society, it is customary to refer to the political elite a wider circle of people than in the past. These are not only those who directly carry out state administration, but also those who influence the adoption of state decisions and their implementation, the functioning and development of the political process, and fight for state power. The modern political elite is a relatively small group of people, concentrating in their hands the entirety of state power, occupying the most influential positions in the system of managing society and regulating social relations. The political elite is a social group that occupies leading positions in the political life of society, primarily in state bodies, political parties and other socio-political associations, which has a decisive influence on the formation and implementation of state policy.
The political elite is characterized by characteristics inherent in the social elite as a whole. At the same time, in comparison with other varieties of the social elite, it has some features:
1. The political elite, as a rule, is more closely dependent than other elites on the people, individual social formations and institutions. It cannot function effectively without the publicity of actions, formal openness, without constant appeal to the masses, because the main source of its strength is the support of the people, certain social forces, the electorate.
2. The political elite, in comparison with other elites, has the largest amount of public power, is at the center of the system of political and power relations, controls society as a whole and all its spheres. It makes, as a rule, strategic decisions that are important for the whole society, organizes the interaction of all administrative structures in their implementation, integrates the efforts of the entire elite in solving national problems.
3. The political elite is characterized by such specific features as:
Relatively high level of political knowledge;
Intra-group cohesion and corporatism;
Discipline;
Orientation to achieve common goals, to occupy various positions in the system of power;
Caring for support from both "top" and "bottom".
4. Due to the specifics of professional activity, the political elite is distinguished by higher social activity (militancy), organization and purposefulness, strong stability and immunity to negative political and ideological influences. She has a developed sense of belonging to her social stratum.
5. The political elite has the greatest legal immunity in society. Really influencing the legislative, executive and judicial bodies of state power, the political elite determines the nature and content of the Constitution and constitutional laws, other regulatory, legal and political documents, which allows it to create certain political and legal conditions and guarantees of its power and special position in society.
Political elite - as a certain part of the elite strata of society, which includes the most prominent, authoritative and influential representatives of economic circles, humanitarian and technical intelligentsia, and other social entities, is closely interconnected and interacts with them, relies on them, uses their capabilities in solving social problems . The economic and military elites most closely adjoin the political elite, and the boundaries between them are very conditional and often blurred.
The political elite is internally differentiated, heterogeneous and hierarchical in structure and composition. It is formed by various types and groups, differing in the degree of expression of political and managerial qualities, the nature of their influence on social development. Based on the volume of power functions, the role in making and implementing political decisions, the political elite is divided into:
- top elite- these are the political leaders of the state - the monarch, the president, the prime minister, the speaker of parliament, the leaders of the leading political parties, the leaders of the factions in parliament and other persons holding the highest positions in government bodies;
- middle political elite- these are the heads of national and regional state institutions, senators, deputies, governors, leaders of various regional parties, public organizations and movements, other political functionaries who are able to lobby and protect the interests of various social forces in the structures of state power;
- lower (administrative) political elite- these are employees of state administration bodies and the party apparatus, political advisers and consultants, heads of various commissions, research institutions, the so-called groups of "silent" latent influence.
The types of political elite are classified on various grounds:
In accordance with the nature of the relationship to state power, there are ruling and non-ruling (counter-elite, opposition elite) elites;
According to the scale of social influence, the political elite is divided into national, regional and local;
Depending on the quality and direction of activity, the political elite is classified into genuine, pseudo-elite and anti-elite;
According to the nature of the formation, they distinguish legitimate, recognized (natural) and custom (“promoted”) political elites;
Being a special element of the social structure of society, the political elite performs important social features:
Society management, regulation of social relations;
Study, analysis and expression of public needs and interests, subordination and coordination of the needs and interests of individual social groups;
Reflection of public interests in political attitudes and political ideology;
Adoption and organization of the implementation of political decisions, control over their implementation;
Formation of mechanisms for the implementation of political plans and ideas;
Implementation of socially significant norms and standards of practical activity;
Improving the institutions of the political system of society;
Combining the efforts of various socio-political organizations and forces in the interests of the progressive development of society.
The main criteria for the successful performance of the functions of the political elite are the stability and progress of social progress, the socio-political stability of society, the level and growth of the welfare of the people, the degree of protection of the country from internal and external threats.
The current state of the Russian political elite indicates that it does not yet have such qualities necessary for the elite as cohesion, unity of goals and actions, high professionalism, awareness of responsibility to the people, it does not yet have sufficient legitimacy. The political elite can acquire them in the conditions of the diversity of social interests of modern Russia by increasing the efficiency of political decisions and their implementation, which would contribute to social progress, the growth of the people's well-being, updating and optimizing its composition at the expense of the best representatives from various social groups.
Political science [Answers to examination papers] Fortunatov Vladimir Valentinovich
24. Political elite
24. Political elite
You can not live in society and be out of politics. Everyone heard it. But the degree of participation in political life, in the struggle for power and in the exercise of power can be different. In any society there is a group (or a set of groups) that stands out from the rest of society by its influence, privileged position and prestige, directly and systematically participates in decision-making related to the use of state power or influence on it. Such a group (or set of groups) in political science is called an elite.
Translated from French "elite" means "the best, choice, chosen." Elite seeds of various agricultural crops, elite brands of cars, alcoholic beverages, elite hotels, resorts, etc. are known. Various bases are used to classify political elites.
In relation to power the ruling elite is distinguished from the non-ruling (or counter-elite). Thus, in British political practice, the government formed by the party that won the election is replaced by a "shadow cabinet" formed by the opposition party. The English Parliament is a constant arena for a tough political struggle between the ruling elite and the counter-elite.
By level of competence allocate sub-elites: the highest (national), middle (regional), local. Unfortunately, people who move into the elite with higher competence do not always correspond to this level.
By expressed interests political scientists talk about professional, demographic, ethnic, religious and other sub-elites.
According to the results of activities (efficiency) along with the elites, pseudo-elites and anti-elites are known.
It should be noted that in addition to political elites, there are economic, administrative, military, religious, cultural, scientific and other elites.
The basis for the selection and functioning of the political elite is a real, de facto monopoly on power, on decision-making regarding the content and distribution of basic values in society.
Table 61. Scientists about the essence of the elite
In politics, as in other spheres, the problems of formation, selection, change and reward of elites are of great importance. Elitism is a set of socio-political concepts that assert that the necessary components of any social structure are the highest, privileged strata, the ruling minority.
Table 62 Functions of the political elite
There are many explanations for the essence of elitism (Table 61). The emergence of the theory of elitism is associated with the name of Nicolo Machiavelli, who distinguished two types of elites: "lions" - supporters of violent measures, and "foxes" who prefer flexible methods of leadership.
At the beginning of the XX century. V. Pareto, G. Moski, R. Michels argued that in the internal structure of societies of all types there are two classes: a few who rule ("ruling elite", "ruling class", "political class", "establishment"), and many who are ruled ("crowd", "mass", "people").
R. Michels singled out three reasons contributing to oligarchization. The first is a narrow specialization in management, which prevents control over the manager. This specialization, the complexity of management, grows with the expansion of the organization. The second reason is the psychological properties of the mass itself - political indifference, panic fear and craving for strong power, a feeling of gratitude for the leader, etc. All these properties create a craving for strong power and submission to it. The third condition is the charismatic qualities of the leader himself, his ability to impose his will on those under his control. The leader usually imposes his own ideas on the masses, as a rule, the opposite of the ideas of the old leader. The struggle between the new circle of leaders and the old one is usually accompanied by a merger and diffusion of the old and new elites. As soon as the new elite completely replaces the old one, changes usually take place in it that make it look like the old tyrants. So, R. Michels deduced the "iron law of the oligarchy."
Political scientists of a later period, such as M. Young and D. Bell, associated the selection of the elite with such features as productivity, qualifications, education, prestige, etc. They developed the theory of the “merit elite” (or “meritocracy”).
In Western political science, the elite is understood as a group that makes political decisions, dominates under any political system and any ideology. The elite is characterized by such qualities as group consciousness, corporate communication, and a common will to act. This is not just a collection of high-ranking officials, but an organic unity bound by a corporate spirit. Access to it is possible only on conditions dictated by the elite itself. The viability of the elite is determined by its adaptability and ability to renew its composition. V. Pareto substantiated the need for "circulation of elites" through slow, prolonged assimilation, the inclusion of new people who accept the "rules of the game" established by the elite. Two main models of selection (recruitment) in the composition of the elites are presented in Table. 63.
Table 63 Selection (recruitment) of political elites
In modern political science, no one encroaches on the need for the existence of political power in society, which is the main subject of political life, plays an important role in the system of political relations.
Political elites perform important features:
? study and analysis of the interests of various social groups;
Subordination of interests of various social communities;
Reflection of interests in political settings and development of political ideology (programs, doctrines, constitutions, laws, etc.);
Creation of a mechanism for the implementation of political ideas;
Appointment of the personnel apparatus of the governing bodies;
Creation and correction of the institutions of the political system;
Promotion of political leaders.
We are talking about different justifications for the role played by political elites in modern society.
The most common in the West is the theory of "democratic domination of elites" (J. Schumpeter, G. Lasswell, P. Bahrakh). The essence of the theory is that the role of elite groups in modern conditions is increasing. The mass cannot determine the power. Mass is at best a wheel, but not a motor. In extreme cases, the masses use violence. Equality in this theory is denied. The change of elites is considered as a derivative of the change in the value criteria of society. Some Western political scientists believe that "strategic elites", "ruling elites" consistently, rationally and actively implement the ideals of democracy. Supporters of the "critical theory of the elite" (R. Mills, R. Young, A. Wolf) believe that the seizure of control over the most important areas of life by the "ruling class" is the main reason for the decline of democracy.
Modern political science is extremely concerned that political elites should be formed in the best way, be guaranteed from degradation (which has happened more than once in world history) and demonstrate high efficiency (Table 64).
Table 64 Political elite
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Aristotle
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Political elite: essence, structure and functions
The concept of "elite" comes from the Latin "eligere" (to select) and the French "elite" (selective). In the literature, one can find many different definitions of the elite, implying dominant part of society ruling layer. If we summarize the various points of view, we can state that elite- a social community represented by people who have a high position in society, have prestige, power, wealth, and are active in political and other spheres of activity. Definition criterion essence of the elite is the ability and ability of an elite subject to make and implement generally significant political decisions. Even the philosophers of ancient Greece believed that the best people specially designed for this should rule the society. Plato and Aristotle opposed the admission of the people to rule the state, considering democracy the worst form of government.
In their opinion, society should be ruled by philosophers who have the most developed rational part of the soul. Aristotle on this occasion, he wrote that one who intends to occupy the highest positions should possess three qualities: firstly, sympathize with the existing state system, then have great abilities to perform the duties associated with the position; thirdly, to be distinguished by virtue and justice. Thus, Aristotle formulated the general characteristics of the ruling elite.
In political science, it is customary to subdivide the elite into two components: ruling elite And the political elite. Moreover, it is especially emphasized that the concepts of “ruling elite” and “political elite” are correlated as a whole and a part. Power Elite includes various groups directly or indirectly involved in power processes in various spheres of society (political, economic, military, ideological and other types of elites).
Hence, political elite- this is just a part ruling elite, which is characterized by the following features: a small, fairly independent social group; high social status; a significant amount of state and information power; direct participation in the exercise of power; organizational skills and talent.
Wishing to emphasize the main characteristics of the political elite, it is often identified with the political leadership, governing structures, decision-making centers, and the central links of the political system.
The emergence and existence of the political elite is due to the following factors:
- - psychological and social characteristics of people, their unequal abilities, opportunities and desire to participate in politics;
- - the law of the division of labor, which requires professional management, a certain specialization;
- - high social significance of managerial work and its corresponding stimulation;
- - wide opportunities for using managerial activity to obtain social privileges (because it is directly related to the distribution of values);
- - the practical impossibility of exercising comprehensive control over political leaders;
- - the political passivity of the broad masses of the population, whose main interests usually lie outside politics.
The dependence of the dynamics of the development of society on the effectiveness of political decisions taken by the elite requires a careful selection of citizens to perform power-management functions. In Western countries, politics has long turned into a profession, so the process of elite formation is given serious attention here.
In this regard, in various countries, concepts inherent only to them have developed. elite recruiting. Political science distinguishes the two most characteristic systems today: entrepreneurial (entrepreneurial) And guild system. Of course, their selection is rather conditional, since in practice their various combinations are used.
Entrepreneurial (entrepreneurial) system elite formation is focused on the personal qualities of the candidate, his ability to please people. The selection of candidates for positions of power is carried out from groups of society that differ in their property status. The system is characterized by openness, democracy, and a limited number of filters. Competition between candidates for leadership positions is expected, during which each candidate must rely on his own ingenuity, wit, and activity. Professional competence, quality of education, etc. fade into the background. This system is well adapted to the requirements of the time and moment. A significant drawback is the possibility of random persons entering politics, adventurers capable of producing only an external effect.
Guild system involves the candidate's slow progress up the ladder of power. This is due to the many formal requirements for an applicant for a leadership position: the level of education, party experience, experience working with people, etc. Candidates are selected from certain social groups or parties. The recruitment system is closed, focused on a narrow circle of executives. It is very conservative, there is no competition in it, therefore it tends to reproduce one type of leaders, dooming the elite to gradual extinction, turning into a closed caste. Nevertheless, this system of selection provides a high degree of predictability in politics and reduces the possibility of conflicts within the elite.
A special kind of guild system is nomenclature system. Initially, it took shape in the USSR, and then spread to other socialist countries. Its main feature is that the appointment of leaders at almost any level was carried out only with the consent of the relevant party bodies. The candidate consistently moved up the career ladder, climbed from step to step. With such a system, conflicts within the elite were excluded, and the continuity of the political course was ensured. At the same time, this system cultivated servility of the candidate to the leadership, ostentatious activism, etc. Therefore, over time, the closed nature of the nomenklatura system led to the degradation of the political elite.
The modern elite is divided into four groups: ruling, superior, middle And administrative. ruling elite These are those who directly wield state power. the highest elite are those who are directly involved or have a significant influence on the decision-making process. There are not so many of them, these are 100-200 people holding strategic positions in the government, major political parties, pressure groups, and legislators are also included here. To belong to middle elite is determined by three indicators - the level of income, professional status, education. The average elite makes up 5% of the adult population (heads of executive power in the subjects of the federation, leaders of political parties). TO administrative elite includes the highest stratum of civil servants holding senior positions in ministries, departments and other government bodies. The administrative elite also includes those highly educated managers who remain neutral and do not show their party sympathies.
The structure and social representativeness of the political elite are not permanent. The changes taking place in society under the influence of its progress have a great influence on the composition of the elite. In the preparation of the political elite, a huge role belongs to parties that put forward political leaders from among themselves who are capable of defending the interests of certain social groups. The role of the ruling elite as an integral part of the political elite is clearly demonstrated by its functions, which depend on the characteristics of the elite itself:
- - strategic(defining a political program of action by generating new ideas that reflect the interests of society, classes, strata, etc.);
- - organizational(implementation in practice of the developed course, implementation of political decisions in life);
- - communicative(effective representation, expression and reflection in political programs of the interests and needs (political, economic, cultural, regional, professional, etc.) of various social groups and strata of the population and their implementation in practical actions);
- - integrative(strengthening the stability and unity of society, the stability of its political and economic systems, the prevention and resolution of conflict situations).
Thus, the political elite is not a simple sum of persons who, by chance, were endowed with power, but a social group that is formed as a result of “natural selection” and is a layer of people that is created from individuals with certain abilities, professional knowledge, skills, and abilities. .
The concept of political elite
Definition 1
The political elite should be considered as a privileged group that occupies leading positions in power structures and is directly involved in making the most important political decisions.
The composition of the political elite is very diverse, but in general it includes party institutions and individual political personalities. Basically, these categories of citizens are engaged in the development of strategies for the activities of their institutions, as well as managing them.
The political elite can be characterized by the following features:
- Represents small and independent social groups;
- These groups have a high social status;
- These groups wield a significant amount of state and informational power;
- These groups have organizational skills and talent in certain areas.
In simpler terms, the elite is something chosen. This concept is enshrined not only in political science, but also in social science. A person can enter the elite due to some of his personal qualities, and sometimes this is due to random circumstances.
For example, the following categories of citizens belong to the administrative elite:
- Head of State;
- Prime Minister;
- Ministers;
- political movements;
- Regional leaders;
- Major government officials.
There is also the so-called economic elite: the owners of large banks, corporations and oldings.
Remark 1
In addition, there is also a military elite in the form of generals, information in the form of the most famous media representatives, as well as scientific, spiritual.
Elite formation systems
The elite can be formed in various ways.
First, as mentioned above, there are 2 main ways to get into the elite: by achieving this goal due to personal qualities or randomly.
Secondly, there is a second system of elite formation:
- open, where any person can get due to personal qualities, appointment, overcoming competitors. In order to get into this system, you need to have strong leadership qualities;
- closed, here the selection of candidates is closed and is carried out by a narrow circle of people and is complicated by any formal requirements, origin, party membership, experience. This system is especially characteristic of non-democratic states.
There is also the so-called counter-elite, which has a wide range of personal and leadership qualities, which, due to the inertia and closeness of the political system, cannot take leadership positions. But the dominance of the dominant elite often weakens over time, revolutionary transformations are carried out by the counter-elite, as a result, it itself becomes dominant. This is how the process of changing elites takes place.
If society is open and stable, any person is able to become a member of the elite through the so-called "social lift". At the same time, in such states, the civil service is actively developing, as well as the activities of parties.
Quite often, the elite is also differentiated into various categories, characterized by internal features. The elite was divided into the ruling one, i.e. directly in possession of state power, and the opposition. There is also a "sub-elite". Various subspecies of the ruling elite are designated by this concept.
The Role and Importance of the Elite
The elite is the most effective part of society, which has signs of activity and a key role in the political process. The development and adoption of strategic decisions and the management of their implementation, determining the future direction of development, the formation of state policy plays an important role for any kind of political elite. With its help, the ideology of the state is also developed, this or that political trend, the formation of public opinion, the mobilization of the masses in order to participate in any political actions.
Political groups are also important in transition and crisis situations for the country. People who are not sure about the future allow the ruling elite to concentrate a significant amount of power in their hands, give them the opportunity to control the fate of millions without bearing any responsibility, and attributing all the mistakes of the elite to some circumstances.
Speaking about the "private" procedure for the formation of the political elite in Russia, we can say that recently the formation of the political elite does not hold water.
Thus, the political elite pursues the goal of forming political power, managing society, managing it, concentrating power in certain positions, including leadership ones.
In connection with the above, the political education of the elite, as well as the education of its individual members, plays an important role. At the same time, different categories of nobility and wealth distinguish different members of society. As a rule, such a position characterizes a narrow circle of people, unfair and wasteful for the whole society, since there is no way to support the talents of children from ordinary families.
If children from elite families enter good educational institutions with a high level of prestige, they do not always keep up with their peers, since genetic origin does not convey the mental abilities of individuals, even if the parents are highly educated people. Such a training system is associated with the recruitment of the elite. Most often, "elite" children study at Eton, Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, etc. On how high the level of education of a person, it largely depends on whether he can get into the ruling elite.
Naturally, the elite is not eternal, but some of its representatives in whole dynasties occupy certain political places, which often leads to the decline of the nation as a whole, since peoples need a real leader.
Chapter 12. Political Elites and Political Leadership §1. Political elite
Interest in the study of political elites arises in the late XIX - early XX century. The experience of liberal democracies has shown that universal suffrage and other democratic procedures do not guarantee majority rule. The management of public affairs inevitably passes into the hands of a minority. What is this minority that dominates the rest of the population, how is it formed, what are its functions? These questions are answered by political scientists who have made political elites the subject of systematic research.
The concept of political elite
The social division between those who exercise power and those in relation to whom it is exercised follows from the very essence of power relations. Power is asymmetrical. The division into ruled and rulers takes place under any form of government and under any regime. In democratic states, as well as in non-democratic ones, the real control of society is in the hands of an organized minority. However, in a democracy, a minority can come to power only through elections in accordance with the will of the majority and in competition with other electoral minorities.
The organized minority, which directly manages and makes political decisions, is designated differently: the political elite, the ruling elite, the ruling elite, the political class, the ruling class, the top political leadership. The wealth of denominations is often applied to the same socio-political phenomenon - to a real minority with political controlling power. In modern political science, the term “elite”, introduced by the Italian researcher V. Pareto (1848-1923), eventually prevailed.
The term elite refers to a narrow and relatively closed circle of people with a fairly constant and limited number, with strong internal ties that have significant weight compared to the environment. The elite are the “chosen ones” of this or that sphere of social life. Elite implies exclusivity, special criteria for selection and participation in its functioning. In the social hierarchy, elites occupy the highest rung.
The political elite is an organized minority, a controlling group that is part of a class or social stratum and has real political power, the ability to influence all the functions and political actions of a given society without exception.. The founder of elitology, V. Pareto, defined the elite as a group of people occupying a high position according to the degree of their influence, political and social power.
As noted above, political elites are a real fact of social relations. The prerequisites for the emergence of an elite are associated with a number of factors:
Political power is a complex system of organized centers of power. The functioning of this system presupposes the existence of a special layer of political leaders and leaders who occupy key positions in these centers of power and have a decisive social influence;
In real political practice, a high degree of alienation of the masses from the process of political decision-making and control over politics remains. The power of the people and the government of the people are separated;
The technology of political domination requires that political institutions perform their functions in a short time, which sharply limits the mechanism for consulting with the people when making decisions and contributes to the elitization of politics;
The development of many political decisions also requires special professional knowledge, which also limits public control over power "from below";
In addition, not all people are interested in politics. For many, other areas of manifestation of their activity are much more attractive, and a minority seeks to enter politics;
An important factor is the desire of the elite to maintain their power. Elites contribute to stability, reproducibility, prolongation of power, maintaining the influence of political leaders and leaders.
Being representatives of a certain social base, the elites are focused on the effective protection of public interests, on the creation of the most favorable conditions for their implementation. Political elites unite around the main political value, which is power, "the use of politics." Power for the political elites is valuable in itself, the main thing here is the retention and multiplication of power in every possible way.
The political elite is distinguished by special cohesion, common value orientations, socio-political and psychological homogeneity (homogeneity). Elites have a clearly defined group consciousness, a common will to act and consolidation. Socio-political homogeneity contributes to the preservation of sufficient unanimity and unanimity in the most difficult situations. Thus, power is strengthened, its integrity and purposefulness are preserved. Psychological homogeneity makes it possible for extraordinary, competing people to maintain compatibility and not bring the situation to a struggle of vanities, personal splits in the leadership environment. Individuals who are members of the political elite have high compatibility in their spiritual needs, complex of possibilities, level of social aspirations, and even human qualities.
Thus, the political elite is not a simple sum of specific individuals who, by chance, are endowed with power, but a social group that is formed as a result of selection, and only those who meet certain requirements remain at the top.
Being a kind of power dominant, the political elite plays an exceptional role in the life of society. This is the central link of state administration. The direction and course of political development, the functioning of the political system as a whole largely depend on the activities of the political elite, its political behavior. As the American political scientist and sociologist D. Bell put it, "any assessment of a society's ability to cope with its problems depends on the quality of its leadership and the nature of the people" (cited in: Sartori J. Vertical Democracy // Political Studies. - 1993. - No. 3. - S. 83).
The authority of the elite is the most important condition for its stay in power and the preservation of power. The political elite must be legitimate. When the political or state community ceases to sanction the power of a given political elite, it loses the social basis of its existence and eventually loses power.
Political elites can come to power as a result of elections, having won the political struggle against other organized minorities claiming to be the political control group. In this case, the interaction between the elite and the masses is legal and legitimate. However, the political elite can come to power in a revolutionary way or through a coup d'état. In such a situation, the new political elite seeks to gain the necessary legitimacy through informal recognition from the unorganized majority. In any case, the relationship of the elite with the masses is built on the principles of leadership and authoritative leadership, and not blind obedience. The legitimation of the political power of the elite distinguishes it from the oligarchy (the power of the few).
There are various approaches to the study of political elites, but all elite researchers believe that any political system can be considered elitist, because there really is a minority that has political controlling power. This minority either monopolizes decision-making functions or has significant decision-making advantages, i.e. has dominant influence.
Elite theories
V. Pareto was the first who made the elites the subject of close scientific attention. In V. Pareto, the value approach to understanding the elite is decisive. Elite membership depends on special qualities that individuals possess to an extraordinary degree and which give them power. Power in Pareto is possessed by worthy authorities, those who have special qualities for this. A value-based, meritocratic (the power of the worthy, the power of merit) approach to the elite becomes the basis for substantiating the law of the "cycle of elites".
Belonging to the elite depends on special qualities. However, not all people with elitist qualities achieve leadership positions. Those who, for a number of reasons, cannot enter the elite, enter the counter-elite. Elites, V. Pareto considered, tend to decline. Social balance requires that individuals with the necessary qualities are constantly co-opted into the elite. But this does not happen due to the closed nature of the ruling elite. Over time, there are psychological changes in the characteristics of the elite: "innovators" are replaced by "consolidators", and the elite tends to decline. She is replaced by a new elite. Revolutions, upheavals - this is the change of elites. In his work The Rise and Fall of the Elites, Pareto wrote that human history is the history of a constant change of elites, some rose while others fell into decline.
Thus, according to V. Pareto, the elite are those who have the ability and because of this gain power. When special qualities are lost, then a disequilibrium between merit, abilities and power sets in, giving rise to a cycle: the old elites are being replaced by counter-elites, i.e. elites according to their ability. However, then the process of closing the elite in itself begins again, maturation at the bottom of the counter-elite, and the whole cycle repeats.
Another Italian theorist G. Mosca (1858-1941) also drew attention to the role of the minority, which governs the majority. Neither the aristocratic tendency, nor the democratic one, from the point of view of G. Mosca, gives power to the majority. Power from the minority always passes to the minority. The only difference is that the aristocratic ruling class is replenished with people from a closed social circle. The democratic ruling class is formed from broad social strata. Elections in a democracy G. Mosca interpreted as a path to the renewal of the elite, and not as a form of control of the masses over the leaders.
Mosca also talks about the change of elites and that the ruling minority differs from the masses in its own special qualities. But G. Mosca also draws attention to the importance of the organization. The minority governs the majority because it is better organized.
The organizational approach of G. Moska was developed in the works of the German scientist R. Michels (1876-1936). The elite depends on organization. First, the ability to organize strengthens and guarantees power. Secondly, the structure of the organization inevitably contributes to the formation of the elite. Elites arise as an objective result of socio-political structures and the institutionalization of influences in these structures. R. Michels put forward a law governing all organizations, and called it "the iron law of the oligarchy." According to this law, organizational conditions themselves presuppose the existence of a ruling minority.
Thus, in addition to the value, axiological approach to the selection of the elite, there is also a structural-functional approach. If supporters of the first approach explain the existence of an elite by certain qualities of a personal plan, then supporters of the second approach associate the existence of an elite with a political power pyramid: the elite are those who have the most power, those in power in a given state, those who are "at the top" (C.R. Mills, G. Lasswell, A. Etzioni, T. Dai).
Both criteria are related. The elite is indeed the group that is at the top of the power pyramid, has the highest influence. However, joining the elite is by no means always associated with a high political position. The political elite includes a wider range of those who formally "determine" policy and influence state decisions. To reach the pinnacle of power and political influence, really certain qualities, abilities, and advantages are required. In this case, we are not talking about whether these qualities are good or bad. But the fact that the people of the political elite have certain abilities to rule and a special "taste" for power is beyond doubt.
Functions of the political elite
The political elite is a product and element of the political system of a social class differentiated society. The political elite is part of the power mechanism that ensures social domination. Possessing the skills of political management, the elites are prepared for the effective representation of social class interests. Their most important function is the actualization of the interests of a given class, layer with the help of political power, the formation of the will of the class and the direct management of the implementation of this will into practice. The relationship between the ruling class and the ruling elite is a complex interaction. Protecting certain class interests, the elite has relative independence, because it is the bearer of direct powers of authority. In special situations, the elite can make decisions that are opposed by the majority of its class, since, having the necessary political competence, it better understands both the total interests of the class and the interests of the whole state.
Thus, having its own social base, the political elite as a ruling force is not only a conductor of narrow social interest, but also acts as a conductor of general interest. She constantly motivates her activities with concern for the common good. And in fact, the most important function of the elite is not only the realization of the interests of the socially dominant strata, but also the achievement of national goals.
The political elite develops state policy, forms a political strategy and strives for its successful implementation. For the elite, it is important to integrate various interests and wills into a single resulting will and thereby expand their social base. The final decisions of the political elite are the result of coordinating and adjusting courses, taking into account the motley palette of social positions at the national level. Ultimately, the power of the elite is strong and stable if its decisions are rational, their implementation is effective, and a balance of social interests is achieved in society.
An essential moment in the activities of the elite is the protection of values, ideals characteristic of a given society, and ensuring consensus on the fundamental principles of the life of the state.
From the foregoing, it follows that the political elite must have self-confidence, be capable of decisive and, possibly, painful measures for society, but its autonomy in decision-making is not absolute. The elite is tested from two sides: from the side of the socially dominant forces and society. And only to the extent that the elite is able to balance such conflicting interests and pursue an effective policy can it remain in power for a long time.
Political elites are "open" and "closed" types. Elites of the "open" type recruit representatives from various social strata into their composition, although candidates for the elite go through a long selection process through established structures of elite reproduction. This eliminates the possibility of mass penetration into the elite of people who are incompetent, politically unprepared, adventurers. Elites of the "open" type are inherent in liberal-democratic political systems. The presence of elites, the ability to choose from a sufficient number of well-trained, qualified representatives, is considered by supporters of liberal democracy to be the most important condition for the normal functioning of democracy, the creation of a stable political system.
Political elites of the "closed" type are formed from a limited, closed circle of representatives. This, for example, is the political elite of feudal society - the tribal aristocracy. The Soviet nomenklatura also belongs to the elites of the "closed" type. In modern conditions, elites of the "closed" type are more prone to decline, they rather quickly lose the political qualities necessary for the elite.
The elites of the "open" and "closed" type perform functions related to their powers of authority. But elites of the "closed" type are more likely to focus on the realization of narrowly selfish interests and lose a broad vision of national priorities.
So, for political elites in terms of their functioning, several points are characteristic:
1) expression and protection of the combined interest of the layer or class, of which it is a representative;
2) development and implementation of state policy on the basis of taking into account all social interests, protection of the national interest;
3) motivation of one's activity by concern for the common good;
4) reaching a consensus based on an understanding of common values and principles of functioning of the political system.
Ultimately, the political elite should put national interests above all else, and the "elitist" idea of national interests should basically be approximately the same as the understanding of such by broad social strata of society.
The political elite and other ruling elites of society
The political elite is the top of the power pyramid. But there are other elites in society that have an extremely high degree of power influence. American sociologist and political scientist Ch.R. Mills, in his book The Power Elite, analyzed military, administrative, business(economic) elite of the United States and noted the common roots of these elites - environment, education, social life. In addition to the above, they also single out the ideological elite, thereby emphasizing the importance of ideology as an element of power relations.
Representatives of the highest political elite occupy strategic positions in the decision-making system. There are few such people - only 100-200 people. These individuals are personally known, and it is they who make decisions for millions of people. The political elite often includes those who occupy a position lower in the power pyramid, but who have a fairly significant influence on the processes of political decision-making at the state and regional level. According to sociologists, depending on the population, the total number of such people is from two to ten thousand people.
The administrative or bureaucratic elite is the highest stratum of government officials. These are highly educated specialists in the field of public administration and politics by profession. Ideally, they should be above the political struggle, remain neutral in the struggle of political elites. The task of the bureaucratic elite is to serve only the interests of the state, to be impartial, not to get involved in political battles, to carry out orders accurately and conscientiously. But in practice, the bureaucratic elite actively interferes in politics, influences government decision-making and tends to get out of political control.
The business and economic elite are large owners, entrepreneurs, financiers who are most closely connected with the political elite.
The business, bureaucratic, and military elite act as pressure groups on the political elite. There is a struggle between the elites for the distribution of goods and resources. The political elite is more flexible than the military, economic or bureaucratic. It seeks to take into account the long-term consequences of the decisions made and the interests of various social strata.
The ideological elite stands somewhat apart. It usually includes professional ideologists, persons directing the activities of the media, workers of culture and art, the top of the clergy (especially if the church interferes in politics). This group is distinguished by considerable independence; it can also act as an opposition to the political elite. Relations with the ideological elite among the political elite are very tense. However, the effective management of modern society is impossible without the purposeful formation of its ideological life. Ideologies have become the "internal religion" of the state. Therefore, the political elite is interested in supporting the ideological elite, seeking compromises with it.
Thus, in modern political literature, the dominant, ruling elite and the political elite are distinguished. The ruling elite is heterogeneous and has a complex structure. The political elite is a part of this structure, although the most important, but only a part. The ruling elite includes elite groups that have a significant impact on political decision-making: these are representatives of the business, bureaucratic, military and ideological elites.
From the point of view of the theory of elites, modern political systems are either frankly elite systems or elitist-pluralistic systems. The element of elitism is also strong in the conditions of modern liberal democracy, although the process of forming an elite in terms of personnel has been put under control, and the people have the opportunity to choose from various candidates in a competitive struggle, thereby influencing the composition of the political elite.
Political elites and political leadership are closely linked. Modern leaders in democracies achieve power by fighting for the votes of the people. The political process is individualized. Political leaders of different levels are an integral part of the political elite.
