Elite in society

There is ambiguity in society regarding the interpretation of the term “elite”. There are two main approaches:

The axiological (value) approach is based on the original meaning of the concept of “elite” (that is, “the best”). It is understood that individuals included in the elite have higher intelligence, talent, abilities, and competence compared to the average indicators of a particular society.
The altimetry approach evaluates membership in the elite based on the fact that individuals have real power and influence without a strict connection to their intelligence and moral and ethical qualities.

Currently, the altimetric approach to the interpretation of the term “elite” is predominant, since supporters of the value approach have not developed reliable and verifiable criteria for belonging to the elite. The term “elite” is largely used as a self-name for that part of society that has real power and influence. In relation to such a context, it seems preferable to use the term “bosses”, “chiefs”, introduced into scientific circulation by P. A. Kropotkin.

Elite in sports

Notes

Literature

The Russian elite in the past and present: socio-psychological historical aspects. Vol. 2. - M.: Publishing House National. Institute of Business, 2012. - 266 p. - 260 copies. - ISBN 978-5-8309-0374-5

Links

Burenko V. I. Instrumental dimension of the political elite // Electronic magazine “Knowledge. Understanding. Skill ». - 2010. - No. 6 - History.
Gurevich P. S. Psychology of elite education // Knowledge. Understanding. Skill. - 2005. - No. 4. - P. 128-138.
Krivoruchenko V.K. Elite of youth organizations: on the question of the applicability of the term // Electronic magazine “Knowledge. Understanding. Skill ». - 2010. - No. 6 - History.
Ruchkin B. A. Komsomol elite in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods of the country’s development // Electronic magazine “Knowledge. Understanding. Skill ». - 2010. - No. 6 - History.

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Synonyms:

See what “Elite” is in other dictionaries:

elite- y, w. élite élire choose, select. 1. outdated pl. Elites. The French troops have the bravest soldiers. Toll 1864. Almost all the troops consisted of such collectors of such indemnities, from the stories of the residents who remained in Moscow. Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

Aristocracy, nobility; salt of the earth, cream, scum, the chosen ones, the best of the best, the cream of society, the best people, establishment, elite, best, super-elite Dictionary of Russian synonyms. elite see best Dictionary synonyms of the Russian language. Practical... Synonym dictionary

Elite- Elite ♦ Élite Etymologically, the body of the chosen, but chosen by chance or as a result of one’s own efforts, and not by God or the people. A kind of secular and meritocratic (i.e., having received power at the expense of their own... ... Sponville's Philosophical Dictionary

- [fr. elite] 1) biol. selected seeds, plants or animals most suitable for reproduction; 2) the most prominent representatives of which l. parts of society, groups; upper layer population or its individual groups. Dictionary of foreign words... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

- (from the French elite best, elected) 1) the leadership of the official heads of government, top management of financial and commercial structures supported by funds mass media and security forces;... ... Economic dictionary

- (in sociology and political science), the highest layer (or layers) social structure society, carrying out the functions of management, development of science and culture. The elite is distinguished on various grounds: political, economic, intellectual, etc. In... ... Modern encyclopedia

- (from the French elite, the best choice),..1) (in sociology and political science) the highest layer (or layers) of the social structure of society, performing important and cultural functions. They are distinguished according to the characteristics of the identification of the political elite (V. Pareto, R. Michels) ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

a layer of society that occupies key positions in the main spheres of its life: economic, political, administrative, military, intellectual, etc.

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

ELITE

A group of the most outstanding in character, knowledge, education, creativity etc. of people of a given society. In this sense of the word, the elite is the opposite of the people. The main prejudice regarding the elite is that it is supposedly unnecessary and even harmful to society, and therefore it should be eliminated and prevented from arising in the future. For example, in many US schools, teachers are prohibited from giving bad grades in exams, so that more capable students do not find themselves in a privileged position. People who share this misconception usually like to talk about how the elite exploits the people, etc. This is a dangerous prejudice, because the welfare, progress, and sometimes the very existence of a society depend on whether it is possible to create a full-fledged elite in this society. A society devoid of an elite is doomed to stagnation and rapid death.

The main reason for the emergence of this prejudice, in addition to envy, is another misconception: the elite include people descended from rich or influential parents belonging to the aristocracy, plutocracy or “nomenklatura”. Castes of this kind, having nothing in common with a genuine elite, tend to withdraw into themselves. Their existence and claims to superiority are perceived by others as injustice; This is where hostility towards anyone, even the true elite, is born.

Finally, another prejudice is associated with the elite, according to which the work of representatives of the elite should not be paid higher than the work ordinary people. In fact, a society interested in the elite should stimulate such people, in particular by providing them with a higher income. This policy pays off handsomely.

The ruling elite can partially merge with the spiritual elite, entering into dialogue with it, but it can enter into conflict with it, uniting with the soil, organizing its extermination. In this case, the ruling Estonian deprives itself of reason, faith, and beauty, and the spiritual elite deprives itself of strength. The difference between the logics of both E.

Constantly stimulates conflict between them, which, however, is periodically replaced by the desire of the ruling Estonian to resort to sources of creative energy of spiritual Ethnicity.

to solve your problems. E., constantly balancing on successive multidirectional waves of inversion, moves from one mortal danger of falling away from the people, a break with non-communications, to the danger of participation, i.e. merging with the people. The first threatens to turn E. in the eyes of the people into the bearer of world evil, into the Antichrist, the second, with a low level of state consciousness and a state of illusory faith, the ability of the spontaneous creativity of the people to solve all problems (The main delusion of the intelligentsia) threatens with an increasing increase in disintegration. Both dangers are fraught with mass discomfort and social catastrophe.

Elites constantly strive to raise mass consciousness to the level of their values, to form a new person, resorting to various means, from enlightenment to mass terror. However, the split creates exceptional difficulties for this.

Excellent definition

Incomplete definition ↓

The term "elite" comes from the Latin word eligo, which means "chosen", "best", "selected". In other social sciences, the elite is considered a certain group of people who occupy a high position in society. When it comes to politics, these individuals have political power and occupy high positions in government. If we are talking about the spiritual life of society, then the elite of society is the intelligentsia, a group of people who shape taste, etc.

Altimetric and axiological approaches to the interpretation of the term “elite”

Scientists distinguish two approaches to the interpretation of this concept, namely altimetric and axiological. According to the first, the elite includes those individuals who have real influence and actual power, regardless of their level of intelligence and moral and ethical qualities. The second, which is also called value-based or meritocratic, is based on the original meaning of the term “elite”. This interpretation is based on individual qualities people included in this group. They must be the “best”, stand out in society with their personal qualities, to be smarter, more intelligent, more talented than others. At the same time, these characteristics are assessed in comparison with the average indicators of other members of society. Unfortunately, these days the altimetry approach predominates - according to the principle “if you have strength, you don’t need brains.”

Functions performed by the elite in society

1. Management of society.

2. Development of stereotypes and behavior patterns in society.

3. Development of adaptive mechanisms.

Types of elites

Classification of elites can occur depending on certain criteria.

1. Depending on the field of activity, the elite can be:

Recently appeared in society the new kind- the business elite, which is somewhat akin to the economic elite, but still deserves to be considered a separate group.

2. Elites are also classified according to their relationship to power. According to this criterion, the following two types are distinguished:

the ruling elite is a group of people at the head of power;
the wrong one is the counter-elite.

3. Depending on the level of decisions made, the elite is divided into the following types:

higher (national);
average (regional);
local.

4. Depending on what interests the elite expresses, it can be:

professional;
demographic;
ethnic;
religious.

5. And in accordance with the results of its activities, it can be:

ruling;
shadow;
pseudo-elite;
antielioy.

Some types of elites can unite, creating new ones. For example, an oligarchic system is formed from the merger of political and economic.

Elites are also usually divided into formal and informal. The influence and power of the first type are based on its leading positions in the Informal elite - this is a group that, although it has a certain influence on society, is not related to power. To make it clear, let's give an example of an informal look. There are leaders (these can be writers, journalists, artists, etc.) who, although they do not have any formal power, their opinion and their example are incredibly influential. strong influence on the behavior of the masses.

Elite social

The highest strata of society in the hierarchy, which have power and influence over other groups, are usually called the term “social elite”. This category in different periods development of society became the object sociological research, various theories have been created for this purpose. According to the most common of them, the social elite is a minority that has unquestionable power and the strict right to make decisions.

Other theories see the elite as people who perform the most important functions in society. Still others consider a social group of people who were able to achieve the highest performance in their activities, who have moral (including in terms of responsibility) and intellectual superiority over the rest of the masses. In any case, the elite is the top of the social pyramid, which in turn is divided into various groups. For example, political, national, cultural and other groups are distinguished.

Political elite

The political elite is a special group of people who have concentrated the highest power structures in their hands. In the modern world, almost all states have the greatest influence. Despite the fact that in most states there is a one-party system, in some countries there is still a one-party system. Or the leading position of one of the parties is so great that the ruling and political elites consist of the same group of people. In any case, the political elite in society is considered a group of privileged people who occupy leadership positions in power structures and take direct part in making the most important decisions where the use of power is necessary. Its members are people who have a significant amount of state and information power, lead developments in the strategy of their institutions and are engaged in regulatory activities. They tend to be excellent organizers.

National elite

Within all nations there is a group of intellectuals that has an active influence on all aspects of the life of a given society - the national elite. This is a group that is created as a result of identifying and promoting the most gifted and trained representatives from the entire people so that they can manage all social processes. However, as in most cases, members of the national elite seek to enrich themselves at the expense of their compatriots. This leads to discontent and destruction of the integrity of the nation.

Cultural elite

This term has a twofold definition. In a narrow sense, the cultural elite is a cultural and educated minority. And in broad terms, this is a group of people who have high level cultural competence and are engaged in the development of various knowledge, including scientific, as well as the creation of spiritual values - works of art, etc. Annoyingly, in Russian society In the structure of all elites, the cultural one is in last place, inferior to the political, economic, military, national and others. However, ideally, it is the spiritual (cultural) group that should occupy a dominant position. After all, in essence, the cultural elite, in its content, corresponds more than others to the etymology of the term itself - “best”.

Other meanings of the word "elite"

In addition to the basic meaning of the word "elite", this term also denotes non-social subjects and objects that have exceptional (exclusive) qualities. For example, in society they say " elite troops". In this case, the elite is the best military units entrusted with protecting the country from potential enemies. Or this term refers to the best, most expensive real estate, etc.

Conclusion

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that the elite is a completely special group that differs from others. This is most likely the quality special image life, morality and will.

The section is very easy to use. Just enter the desired word in the field provided, and we will give you a list of its meanings. I would like to note that our website provides data from different sources– encyclopedic, explanatory, word-formation dictionaries. Here you can also see examples of the use of the word you entered.

The meaning of the word elite

elite in the crossword dictionary

Economic dictionary of terms

elite

most prominent representatives of some for parts, layers of society, for example, the financial elite, the creative elite.

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. D.N. Ushakov

elite

elites, plural no, w. (French ïlite).

Selected Society (book rare).

collected The best, selected specimens of some kind. plants or animals that are distinguished by such qualities that ensure rich reproduction (agricultural). elite selection.

The very selection of such plants or animals (agricultural). The elite method.

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. S.I.Ozhegov, N.Yu.Shvedova.

elite

Y, f. collected

The best plants, seeds or animals, whose qualities are most suitable for breeding and reproduction.

The best representatives of some. parts of society, groups, as well as people belonging to the top of some. organizations, groups (book). Creative e. Political e. Powerful e. to adj. elite, -aya, -oe and elite, -aya, -oe (to 2 meanings).

New explanatory dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova.

elite

Selected, best seeds, plants or animals obtained as a result of selection and intended for further reproduction or breeding.

Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1998

elite

ELITE (from French elite - best, selected)

(in sociology and political science) the highest layer (or layers) of the social structure of society, performing important and cultural functions. They are distinguished both by the characteristics of the elite - political (V. Pareto, R. Michels), technological (J. Burnham), socio-psychological (J. Ortega y Gaset, I. Schumpeter), and by orientation - from anti-democratic to liberal. Modern sociology has put forward the concept of multiple elites (political, economic, administrative, military, religious, scientific, cultural), balancing each other and preventing the establishment of totalitarianism (K. Manheim). The most important are the problems of formation, selection, replacement and reward of the elite.

The best selected seeds, plants or animals obtained through selection for further propagation or propagation.

Elite

Elite- in sociology and political science - a set of people holding high positions in government, a union of states and the economy.

The elite is a stable community with deep connections among its members, who have common interests and access to the levers of real power.

Every elite carries out the functions of managing society, and also regulates the development of new models (stereotypes) of behavior in conditions of changing paradigms of social life, which allows this society to adapt to changes in environment or in the ethnic landscape. At the same time, the elite may be structurally open to outside influence.

Elite (Omsk region)

Elite- a village in the Moskalensky district of the Omsk region of Russia. The administrative center of the Elitovsky rural settlement.

Population -

Elite (disambiguation)

Elite - selected seeds, plants or animals that have been bred through selective breeding for further propagation or breeding (for example, "elite livestock" in agriculture).
The elite are the best representatives of a nation or society (also often in the meaning of “ruling elite”).
Elite is a word meaning something with exceptional good qualities(actual or imaginary - for example, “elite fighter” in e-sports / “luxury real estate” in commerce).

Elite (novel)

"Elite"- a 2013 dystopian teenage novel by American writer Kira Cass, a continuation of the novel “The Selection”. The novel continues the storyline of the previous one - the story of America Singer from a family of artists and musicians, selected as one of 35 girls applicants for marriage with the prince and the title of the future queen of the state. In Russia, the book was published in 2014 by the Azbuka publishing house. The final novel in the trilogy, The One, is due to be released in the United States in May 2014.

Examples of the use of the word elite in literature.

When would I belong to elite, Then I would spend more money than effort, When I lived in the Paleolithic - I crushed my neighbor’s skull with a club, When I measured the race track in circles - I would show remarkable agility, But if I could suddenly write in poetry - I would instantly stop speaking in prose.

The coffee shop that day was served by the best of the best, the most elite: these were Augustine, Zelmir, Adonis and Zephyr.

Party elite, Amalrik rightly notes, having seized power, he is excellent at keeping it in his hands, but for what purpose?

Overall, from the many evasive and vague statements one gets the feeling that elite economists know that the country will be reduced to the status of an outsider with the extinction of two-thirds of the population.

For this purpose we are financially supported through government programs and private patronage of such genres as opera and ballet, where the average person cannot be dragged into as punishment, but where he goes with melancholy in his soul, but with it in his outer appearance elite society in order to show themselves as best as possible in the hall and in the lobby against the backdrop of the unfolding events on stage.

According to the bustle that arose in the ranks of the naval elites, it was clear that the authorities did not want personal communication between the unknown Ushakov and his lordship, and Marko Voinovich began to slander Ushakov that this naval foreman was disobedient and proud, and did everything differently from what is customary in the fleets of the world.

And, without a doubt, Volvo will cooperate with the best of them, with elite.

Moreover, although Gallegos did not belong to elite warrior pilots of combat vehicles, she was an honored veteran.

Sergei Skripnikov, beloved child of the Rostov party elites, MGIMO graduate, diplomat and economist, well-groomed English gentleman, graceful and lordly, excellent sinologist.

The thirty-year-old debutant once and forever won a place of honor among the world elites movie.

If western elite will nevertheless be formed, the knowledge of the doctrines of the East will appear to it, for the reasons we have just discussed, absolutely necessary for the implementation of its inherent functions.

Firstly, elite, the upper classes, whose mission it is to develop these forces, are forced to clothe them in forms acceptable to the ignorant masses over which they lead and rule, and both reason and spirituality tend to ossify in these forms, turn into stereotypes, become deadened, deprived vital impulse, lose the ability of its free manifestation.

Former representatives of traditional, isolationist and nationalist elites are now full of self-confidence and at ease discussing American and Western ideas.

Clerical elite Russia on the eve of the revolution was so brutalized, the clergy was overgrown with such dirt that I refused to describe many interesting facts Rasputinism only for moral reasons.

It seems to me that if the history of the first editions of the masterpieces of world literature is ever published with a description of all the vicissitudes that befell the authors, then the curiosities of the Guinness Book will fade greatly: the total conformism of humanity and its elites completely unbreakable, so that at the moment of its birth people greet their own culture with hostility.

The concept of “elite” first appears in Aristotle, then appears in the Middle Ages in Machiavelli, and at the beginning of the 20th century in Pareto. Important step in the development of the theory of elites is associated with the publication in 1953 of R. Mills’ book “The Power Elite.” Among the names of scientists who played a huge role in the development of the theory are M. Dogan, J. Higley, M. Burton and others. There are historically few such works in Russia. Among modern Russian authors, the leading specialists are M.V. Ilyin, O.V. Gaman-Golutvina, as well as O. V. Kryshtanovskaya with her works on the “anatomy of the Russian elite”.

Formally, belonging to the elite (“he is the elite”, “the elite is not the elite”) is a certain position in power, the army, finance, science or culture, although in many ways this is the subjective opinion of people. Moreover, since representatives of different schools, cultures, views and directions usually have their own ambitions, they rarely, except in undisputed cases, easily assign this title to someone. The political elite is widely observed, but the boundary between those who “really” make the most important decisions and the visible status elements is unclear. For example, in most political parties and movements, decisions are made by a limited group of people, and according to formal characteristics, researchers classify all members of parliaments, ministers and other “power holders” as members of the “power” elite.

1. Types of elite

The nature and composition of the elites are specific to the country: if the country did not have a serious army or it disappeared over time, then this country cannot have an army elite. For example, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire there was an army elite, but now it no longer exists. There are countries in which there is a very serious religious, church elite, for example in Poland or Italy, with a large traditional influence of religion on public life. Gradually this factor weakens compared to the past, but does not disappear. In addition to the army and church, there are political, financial and intellectual elites.

The division of the types of ruling elite (that is, those who make key decisions) into political, financial and military was proposed by the American scientist Wright Mills in his studies of the 1950s. Among the most recent interesting works, noteworthy is the book edited by J. Higley and M. Burton, “The Elite as the Foundation of Liberal Democracy.” Political scientists are now reluctant to write that democracy and control may be under some influence of the ruling elites - this is politically incorrect. Naturally, democracy and elite control are two opposing concepts. There are indicators that measure character political regime in countries from autocracy to democracy, which largely reflects the character and position of the elite. Modern society, on the one hand, may be outwardly democratic, on the other hand, somewhere inside hide a political elite that will make key decisions regardless of voters (leaving it to the people to make minor decisions at the local level) and categorically assert that all around democracy (hybrid regimes). But the elites apparently find ways to “insure” political process to avoid shocks and revolutions. And very rarely does a scientist manage to find the “hand of the elite.” In established, developed democracies, the elite does not emerge as a force outside the democratic process. In medieval Venice, a lot of elections, lots, and so on were held. They started there with the election of 1,600 people, then 500 by lot, then a hundred were chosen, and so on. Alternating between elections and drawing lots, they settled on ten, who, of course, turned out to be representatives of approximately the same family clans. But let us note that the Venetian system captured quite a wide range of citizens in elections, so Serenissima experienced, perhaps, much less socio-political upheaval than other Italian cities.

Dogan M. Elite Configurations at the Apex of Power. Leiden - Boston: Bril, 2003

Elites, crises, and the origins of regimes / M. Dogan, J. Higley (Eds.). - Rowman & Littlefield publishers inc., Lanham etc., 1998

2. Elite consensus

The ruling elite has special capabilities and strives for a certain status. She has two goals: maintaining her elite position and “development projects.” If the elites are in agreement with each other (for example, they went through some period of struggle among themselves, then settled down and act together), then society is usually in development. In England, kings and barons spent a hundred years rewriting the Magna Carta (see British Library), but they laid the foundations of rights. Then they fought for a long time civil wars, executed Charles I. Finally, a classic example of a compromise between the elites can be called the events of 1684 in England, when the Whigs and Tories agreed to overthrow the Stuarts and brought the Orange to power. Since then, democracy in England, and then in the UK, has continued until the recent referendum on Scottish independence. So the factor of elite consent is of enormous importance for political life and the stability of the financial sector.

Higley J., Burton M. Elite Foundations of Liberal Democracy. 2006

Leonid Grigoriev “Elites: the Choice for Modernization” in “Russia: the challenges of transformation”, ed. By P.Dutkiewicz and D.Trenin, NY University Press and SSRC, NY and London, 2011

3. Intellectual elite

For intellectual and other elites, the distinction between functional and normative elites is important. A representative of the functional elite may be the director of an academic institute or a member of parliament. There is also a normative elite. It includes figures of art, literature, and politics. They give a new norm, new ideas, like, for example, Academician Sakharov.

The phenomenon of ignoring true members of the intellectual elite during their lifetime is known. So often the final determination of a person to the rank of the intellectual elite occurs posthumously. If we look at the biographies of outstanding commanders, writers or artists, it turns out that many were not recognized during their lifetime and only after death they began to be considered among the elite. For example, it is worth remembering Admiral Nelson’s difficult relationship with the Admiralty and the start of the impressionist artists.

Recognition of a person by the intellectual elite is a complex process that cannot be reduced to a high position or citation index. It is necessary to have a huge impact on people's lives, their culture or science, to give a clear positive result (a discovery, a work of art), so that a critical mass of fellow specialists and citizens recognizes someone as a leader - an outstanding figure in a particular field, that is, a member of the elite .

Gaman-Golutvina O. V. Political elites of Russia: milestones of historical evolution. - M.: ROSPEN, 2006

Grigoriev L. M. Interests and problems during the global crisis: responsibility of the elites, understanding of the middle class and patience of the poor // Economics of transition processes. T. 2. M., MUM, 2009

4. Social movements and elites

IN public sphere From politics to the media, the issue of distinguishing elites is complicated by the differing views of social strata. So parties, trade unions, movements, and the media may, in general, have elites, groups of individuals who belong to the ruling elite, parliamentary and non-parliamentary counter-elites, sharing common system principles political structure or challenging it in certain aspects. In addition to national elites, there are, naturally, regional elites.

At one time, Max Weber identified traditional, charismatic and legitimate leaders, which reflected the replacement of feudalism with capitalism. Accordingly, historically there have been changes or transformations of elites. Revolutions and major social transformations naturally imply a change of elites. Lenin said that “the upper classes cannot, and the lower classes do not want,” to live in the old way. In our language, it was essentially about elites (“tops”) who cannot continue to govern the country using the same methods.

Conflicts between elites and counter-elites in a democracy are resolved by elections, compromises, and integration of counter-elites. The emergence of elite conflict from the legal field is a civil conflict of varying degrees of severity and severity of forms of manifestation.

Grigoriev L. M. Elites and the middle class. // "Spero" #13, 2010

Kryshtanovskaya O. Anatomy of the Russian elite. M., 2005

5. Elite studies

Interesting work is being done in this area on countries and on the nature of elites. You have to be very careful because the classifications of the elite are very different. But in the end most influential people eras find themselves in the elite, outstanding scientists sooner or later, even on the posthumous list, but find themselves in the elite of science. The concept of the elite is a very interesting one, and can be explored by anyone who is not a professional political scientist. However, you cannot first appoint someone as an elite and then make a yardstick on him. The mentality of the elite, their behavior, and their interests are extremely important.

There is no list of the ruling elite for any country, since there is no strict formal criterion. The elite is a layer of very “shy” people. Especially in countries with democratic governance, it tries on principle not to demonstrate itself. It is shielded by various intermediate layers, functional organizations, so it is difficult for a researcher to find out what she really is, how she makes decisions, who she consists of, and how she interacts within the clan. Elites are usually very stingy with statistical data about themselves and especially about the nature of decision-making, logic and motivation. The duality of interests of the ruling elite - maintaining their position and “development projects” - involves very complex processes that often remain in the shadows.

Mills R. The ruling elite. M., 1989

Elites and society in comparative dimensions. Ed. O.V.Gaman-Golutvina, M., “Rosspan”, 2011