Human society is heterogeneous, there are natural and social differences between people. These differences determine their unequal abilities for political participation in the life of society, influence on political and social processes, and their management. The bearer of the most pronounced political and managerial qualities is the political elite.

In Soviet social science, the theory of elites was for many years regarded as pseudo-scientific, anti-democratic and bourgeois-tendentious. The very term "elite" was replaced by arbitrary and amorphous synonyms: "those in power", "influential strata of society", "cream of the nation", etc.

What is " political elite"?

"Elite "translated from French means the best, choice, favorite.

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 wrote: “The one who intends to occupy the highest positions must possess three qualities: firstly, to sympathize with the existing state system, then, to have great ability to perform the duties associated with the position; thirdly, to be distinguished by virtue and justice”, thereby gave the most general characterization of the ruling elite.

Political elite- this is a relatively small social group that concentrates a significant amount of political power in its hands, ensures integration, subordination and reflection of the interests of various sections of society in political settings and creates a mechanism for implementing political ideas.

In other words, the elite is the highest part of a social group, class, political public organization.

The foundations of modern concepts of elites are laid in the works of the Italian sociologists Gaetano Mosca (1858 - 1941) and Vilfremo Pareto (1848 - 1923) and the German political scientist Robert Michels (1876 - 1936).

Mosca G. tried to prove the inevitable division of any society into two groups unequal in social status and role. In "Fundamentals of Political Science" (1896), he wrote: "In all societies, from the most moderately developed to modern advanced and powerful societies, there are two classes of persons: the class of managers and the class of the ruled. The first, always smaller in number, carries out everything political functions, monopolizes power and enjoys its inherent advantages, while the second, more numerous, is controlled and regulated by the first and supplies the material means for the sustenance of the political organism.

Mosca G. considered the domination of the minority inevitable, because it is the domination of an organized minority over an unorganized majority. Pareto V. derived the inevitability of dividing society into a ruling elite and controlled masses from the inequality of people's individual abilities, which manifests itself in all spheres of social life. First of all, he singled out the political, economic, military, religious elite.

Along with the similarity of the initial positions of Pareto and Mosca, there are differences in their concepts:

1. Pareto emphasized the replacement of one type of elite by another, and Mosca - on the gradual penetration of the "best" representatives of the masses into the elite.
2. Mosca absolutizes the action of the political factor, while Pareto explains the dynamics of elites rather psychologically; the elite governs because it propagates political mythology, rising above ordinary consciousness.
3. For Mosca, the elite is the political class. Pareto's understanding of the elite is broader, it is anthropological.

The essence of the concept of R. Michels is that "democracy, in order to preserve itself and achieve a certain stability," is forced to create an organization. And this is due to the emergence of an elite - an active minority, to which the masses entrust their fate due to the impossibility of its direct control over a large organization. Leaders never cede their power to the "masses", but only to other, new leaders. The need to manage the organization requires the creation of an apparatus, and power is concentrated in its hands.

The followers of Michels believe that Lenin, having laid the organizational and ideological foundations of the RSDLP (b) in his work What Is To Be Done?, was guided by a narrow layer of professional revolutionaries - the future elite. Having come to power, the party reproduced its structure on a national scale: the so-called partocracy began to manage society.

Characteristic features of the political elite are the following:

• it is a small, rather 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.

Thus, under elite are understood:

1. Persons with the highest performance (performance) in their field of activity (V. Pareto).
2. Charismatic personalities (M. Weber).
3. Persons with intellectual and moral superiority over the masses, regardless of their status.
4. The most politically active people oriented towards power; organized minority of society (G. Mosca).
5. People who occupy the highest places in society due to their biological and genetic origin.
6. Persons having a high position in society and due to this influencing social progress (Dupre).
7. People who have received the greatest prestige, status in society (G. Lasswell).
8. Persons receiving tangible and intangible values ​​in the maximum amount.

The facts of real life and numerous studies confirm that the political elite is the reality of today's (and probably tomorrow's) stage of the development of society and is conditioned by the action of the following major factors:

1. Psychological and social inequality of people, their unequal abilities, opportunities and desires to participate in politics.
2. The law of the division of labor requires professional employment in managerial work.
3. The high importance of managerial work and its appropriate stimulation.
4. Wide opportunities for using managerial activities to obtain various kinds of social privileges.
5. The practical impossibility of exercising comprehensive control over political leaders.
6. Political passivity of the broad masses of the population.

The political elite has the following functions:

• study and analysis of the interests of various social groups;
• subordination of interests of various social communities;
• reflection of interests in political settings;
• development of political ideology (programs, doctrines, constitution, 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.

The elitism of modern society is obvious. Any attempts to eliminate it led to the formation and domination of despotic ineffective elites, which ultimately caused damage to the entire people.

Apparently, the only way to eliminate the political elite is through universal public self-government. However, at the present stage of the development of human civilization, the self-government of the people is more an attractive ideal than a reality.

Therefore, in modern conditions, it is not the fight against elitism that is of paramount importance, but the problems of forming an effective, useful for society political elite - recruiting elites.

The political elite (from the French elite - the chosen one) is a relatively small, internally cohesive social group that acts as the subject of preparation and adoption of the most important political decisions for society and has the necessary resource potential for this.

All political systems are elitist. The elite exists as a social group united around power and controlling the process of state administration. The elite has a high cohesion and intragroup compatibility. The relations of the elite with the masses are built on the principles of leadership and authoritative leadership. The legitimacy of the power of the elite distinguishes it from the oligarchy.

The elite is not homogeneous. On the basis of specialization, a number of subgroups (sub-elites) can be distinguished in it.

Elements of the ruling elite.

1. Political elite - representatives of the ruling class, leaders of the state, ruling political parties, parliamentary figures.

2. The economic elite - large owners, heads of state enterprises, top managers.

3. The bureaucratic elite is part of the ruling group: high-ranking officials.
4. The military elite are the highest ranks of law enforcement agencies.

5. The ideological elite are leaders of ideological currents, figures of science and culture.

6. Political leaders are carriers of certain socio-psychological qualities that allow them to exert a personal influence on people and, therefore, act relatively independently in politics.

Signs of the political elite are:

High social and professional status.
- High level of income.
- Organizational skills (management experience, competence).
- Autonomy (relative independence).
- Special self-awareness (cohesion and the presence of a common will, awareness of the advantages of one's position, responsibility, etc.).

The main functions of the elite:

A) identification and representation of group interests;
b) development and implementation of state policy;
c) ensuring public consent based on the values ​​of the political culture of the society.

Types of elites

Depending on the sources of elite power, they can be divided into:

- hereditary, having the right to any estate privileges (nobility, representatives of royal dynasties);

- value, represented by persons holding prestigious and influential public and state positions, as well as having fame and authority in society (writers, journalists, show business stars, famous scientists);

- powerful, formed by persons with power;

- functional, consisting of qualified professional managers and officials.

By place in the system of power, the elite can be ruling and opposition.

According to the prevailing principles of renewal and replenishment, the elites are divided into open ones, which are recruited from various strata of society, and closed ones, replenished from their own environment.

Elites can differ in the degree of social representativeness (vertical ties) and intra-group cohesion (horizontal ties). According to these two criteria, four types of elites can be distinguished:

1. Stable democratic (high representativeness and group integration).

2. Pluralistic (high representativeness and low group integration).

3. Powerful (low representativeness and high group integration).

4. Disintegration (both indicators are low).

There are two basic recruiting systems(replenishment) elites:

- the system of guilds (characterized by closeness, replenishment from the lower layers of the elite itself, the presence of a large number of formal requirements for applicants);

- entrepreneurial system (characterized by high competition for posts and the paramount importance of personal qualities and competence of applicants).

Select the correct judgments about the functions of the political elite in a democratic society and write down the numbers under which they are indicated.

Enter the numbers in ascending order.

1) The strategic function of the political elite is to create the concept of urgent reforms.

2) The political elite controls the politically passive population through power structures and other institutions of coercion.

3) The predictive function of the political elite provides for the implementation of the developed course in practice, the implementation of political decisions.

4) The integrative function is to strengthen the stability of society, the stability of its political and economic systems, unite various segments of the population, harmonize and harmonize social interests.

5) The communicative function provides for the ability to respond to changing moods of various groups, ensure the operation of channels of communication with the masses, study, collect and reflect in the political course the interests and needs of various social strata and groups.

Explanation.

The functions of the political elite are diverse, complex and associated with great responsibility. The most significant of them are the following:

1) Management and management of society. The political elite is the main reserve of leading personnel for political, economic, administrative, cultural, etc. management. By controlling a wide variety of resources, the political elite has the ability to influence the living conditions of people.

2) Strategic function. The political elite develops strategies and tactics for the development of society, determines the political program of action, and develops the concepts of urgent reforms. This function is fully implemented at the highest level of the political elite.

3) Mobilizing function. To implement the strategic course of the political elite, it is necessary to organize the masses to put political decisions into practice.

4) Communicative function. The political programs of the elite should reflect the opinions, interests, needs of various social groups and strata of society. The political elite must be able to see the peculiarities of the moods of various social communities, respond to changes in public opinion and take appropriate decisions in time. This function should also ensure the operation of communication channels with the masses, which include the media, PR services, sociological centers, etc.

5) Integrative function. It is designed to ensure the stability of public life, remove acute contradictions and conflicts. For this, the actions of the political elite should be aimed at rallying various segments of the population, harmonizing and coordinating social interests, reaching consensus and cooperation with political opponents.

It should be noted that the content and boundaries of the functions that the political elite is called upon to perform are determined by the country's constitution and other regulations. The content of functions is also significantly influenced by the political regime of a given state.

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 interest 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 allocation and functioning of the political elite is based on 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. Mosky, 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 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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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, because, 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.

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.

The strategic function is the development of a strategy and tactics for the development of society, the definition of a program of action.

Communicative - provides for the effective expression in the watered programs of the interests and needs of various social. groups and strata of the population and their implementation in practical actions.

Organizing function - the need to organize the masses. Among the potential polit elites, the most effective will be those who are more able to ensure the support of their programs by the masses.

The integrative function consists in strengthening the stability of society, the stability of its systems, in preventing conflicts, irreconcilable antagonisms, sharp contradictions, and deformation of political structures.

The function of recruiting (nominating) political leaders from among themselves. Politicians on a national scale cannot appear from nowhere. As a rule, they are associated with certain segments of the elite itself: legislative, executive, regional, party, etc.

The effectiveness of the performance of the designated functions by the elite directly depends on the degree of internal cohesion of its constituent groups. Within the framework of an outwardly unified elite, the following can be distinguished:

Groups that differ in the scope of their powers and level of competence:

the highest elite - the leading political leaders (president, head of government, parliament, leaders of the largest parties), their inner circle. It is this numerically small layer of people who makes all the most important decisions;

the middle elite (approximately 3-5% of the country's population) - people holding elected public positions (parliamentarians, senators), regional leaders (governors, mayors of large cities);

the local elite are the leading political figures at the local level. The lower structural level of the elite is often designated by the term "sub-elite";

administrative elite - the highest layer of civil servants - officials of ministries, departments and other government agencies. This elite is less dependent on election results, and therefore less permeable to public pressure and control.

Groups that differ in the degree of their integration into the political system:

the ruling elite is characterized by the real possession of levers and mechanisms for the implementation of power decisions;

the opposition elite, when integrated into the power system (the opposition can be represented in parliament), expresses views that diverge from the views of the dominant group. Representatives of this elite can be classified as loyal or moderate opposition;

the counter-elite is excluded from the system of power relations and rejects the existing political system. This is the so-called disloyal, irreconcilable opposition.

Groups that differ in the nature of their influence on the masses:

hereditary elite, having influence due to the "blood" factor;

value elite - bases its influence on intellectual and moral authority;

functional elite: the source of influence is the availability of professional knowledge and abilities necessary to perform managerial functions to the fundamental principles of the life of the state.

It follows from the above that the political elite must have self-confidence, be capable of taking decisive and, possibly, painful measures for society, but its autonomy in making decisions 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.

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