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Special Project “meritocracy”. The history and the concept of elitism

As part of a special project & quot; Meritocracy" portal CvK info addresses the subject of elitism – one of the key concepts of the range of concepts and publishes material from a friendly group of social network & Quot; In contact"

& Quot; Elitarizm– concept, whereby any sufficiently developed society inherent natural division into two groups – the elite and the masses.

In legal science, and especially in sociology and political science, This concept is used in various elite theories postulating, are sometimes isolated in separate science elitologii. In other words elitism methodological framework elitologii.

Based principle of elitism – dichotomy of society into mainstream (elite) and podvlastnыh (weight) – so simple and clear from the experience of life, that in one way or another is found in the works of the most ancient thinkers. Plato in his ideal state allocated ruling minority – rulers philosophers. Confucius Delhi society on moral & quot; noble men & quot; and the common people.

Historically, it was one of the first scientific works is the book by the Arab historian Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406) – & Quot; Muaddima: Introduction to the History & quot;, in which he proposed the concept of asabiya (some ability of a small group makes it a potential elite of society) and political cycles. Florentine secretary, Niccolo Machiavelli believed, that all major conflicts in the society takes place between the elites: a minority, retaining power, and minority, going to power.

But by far the founding fathers of elitism and the first three are elitologii beginning thinker 20 century – Italians Goetano Mosca and Vilfredo Pareto, and the German Robert Michels.

Goэtano Mosca(1858—1941) in the work & quot; The theory of government and parliamentary rule & quot; He created a theoretical concept of the political elite. In all societies,, Mosca wrote, regardless of the form of government there is an organized minority – the political class and the ruling class – which forms the system of governance and rules unorganized majority, not participating in the actual exercise of power. Access to the ruling class implies the existence of special qualities and abilities. Mosca analyzes two tendencies in the development of the ruling class: aristocratic and democratic. The first trend leads to the ossification of the ruling class due to lack of mobility, decrease the possibility of entering into it representatives of other sectors of society, It leads to degeneration. The second trend is inherent, usually, historical periods of progress and dynamic social changes, when there is a replenishment of the ruling class and the most trained and capable representatives of the lower classes.

Pareto Vylfredo(1848—1923) introduced in the scientific revolution, the term elite. Society he saw as a hierarchical structure, which occupies the top of the elite becoming a mass as the descent of the pyramid. Pareto defined the elite on the basis of the functional superiority, elite – is a collection of individuals, having the highest indexes in their professional fields, in this way, it is available in any area of ​​human activity – elite military, thieves elite, Elite cyclists etc.. This view of the elite suggests, that she is the one, who have actually occupies the highest position in society, regardless of their personal (intelligent, moral) qualities and ways to get their status (bribe, a crime, competence). As seen Pareto formulates functional view of the elite in contrast to the assessment (aksiologicheskogo) postulyruemoho Mosca. However susceptible elite inevitable gradual degeneration (decline), resulting in a change of its group arc – "контрэлитой", and everything is repeated again, circulation occurs elite.

Pareto's efforts were concentrated on refuting the tenets of To. Marx on the class character of the story, economic determinism and the class struggle. Pareto, Like many elitologii contrasted the economic interpretation of history political, expressing this famous phrase – & Quot; History – cemetery aristocracies & quot;, ie. elite.

Robert Michels(1876—1936). As a socialist, he began to notice, that democratic and socialist parties in spite of the rhetoric about the involvement of the masses in politics, in fact, depend on a handful of leaders. This led him to believe, that the trend towards oligarchy embedded in any social organization, by virtue of which he put forward & quot; iron law of oligarchic tendencies & quot;, widely known as the & quot; iron law of oligarchy, & quot;. & Quot; This organization is the cause of the domination, who was chosen, over issues, who chose… representatives of those, they represent. Who says organization – the oligarchy says & quot;, – I wrote Michels.

Спецпроект "Меритократия". История и понятия элитаризма

The essence of the law is, that the functioning of democracy is strictly limited by the necessity of creating an organization, relying on & quot; active minority & quot;(elite), as & quot; direct mass dominance technically impossible & quot; and leads to the destruction of democracy.

The concept of mass at P. Michels interpreted as & quot;…a set of mental properties of mass everyman: political indifference, incompetence, the need for manual, the creation of the cult of the leader & quot;. Therefore, the masses are not capable of self-organization and can not independently manage.

Further development elitologii connected with the names of Harold Dwight Lasswell (1902-1978), C. Wright Mills (1916-1962) Joseph Alois Schumpeter (1883-1950). And the last two sharply criticized several provisions of the classical theory of elites, in particular the law of oligarchic, and tried to join the elite and democracy.

AT 70-80 years in Western sociology began to be observed & quot; Renaissance & quot; elitism, which is associated with the coming to power of the Conservatives: R. Reagan – in USA, M. Thatcher – in England, D. Kolya – in Germany. It was during this period of Western sociologists write about the birth of an independent scientific discipline – elitologii, in which it formulated more than a dozen different elite theories used in scientific discourse still.

Since elitism initially contradict the principles of Marxism-Leninism and formed in a controversy with the theory of classes and class struggle, in the Soviet Union it was regarded as reactionary theory of Western sociology directed against the doctrine of the decisive role of the masses in history and the historical mission of the working class as the leader of the people to overthrow capitalism and build communism.

Only with the collapse of the Union in the domestic science topic of elites has found a sustainable impact and found expression in the works of O.. Gaman-Goltuvinoy, GK. Aşina, OV. Kryshtanovskaia and other.

basic concepts

above mentioned, that the identification of elitism and the theory of elites is not correct, first base second. However, this explanation is not enough, that to understand their mutual connection. The thing is, that every thinker, which in one way or another theory developed elite, also enriched and elitism as a conceptual basis for a common, in which he introduced new concepts and laws, or elaborate on the old and bring new campaigns. In other words, he developed not only the idea but also a common tool – elitarizm, and each new theory of elites, it is essentially a new layout and interconnection main subjects of common tools.

Earlier we introduced the concept of meritocracy, as an ideology, approving and justifying the set of special techniques and management methods, as well as special government institutions, Allows you to set the political system, at which the power will belong to the most deserving members of society. Is there today any of the numerous theories of elites, which will outline the meritocratic political system and indicate ways of its construction? The answer is no. And the reason is, that all the theory of elites, essentially utilitarian, in front of them just did not stand such a task. They are either already is there impartially investigate slice elites, without respect to its quality, or do the same but with aplomb on the actual superiority of existing elites and held meritocracy in society. And if you look at the situation from this angle, we do not have a suitable theory of elites, we still have the tools in the form of elitism, and therefore we can say, that meritocracy is a new theory of elites. Theory, to be created and which will give clear and understandable definition of the basic concepts of elitism and the dynamics of their relationship, but not for the purpose of observation and research, and in order to build a political system in which power will belong to the most deserving members of society. Consequently, the first step is the allocation of the foundations of our tools and attempt to explain them. Below are the basic concepts of elitism and those questions that must be answered after the disclosure of their contents.

Elite– the most important and complex concept, of which has been broken a lot of copies. Who are the elite, who is part of this exclusive club, how it relates to the notion of class, political power, ruling class, Does business there, clergy, intelligentsia, artists, etc.. In fact, every theory of elites gives his interpretation of this concept, but even the approach to understanding the elite became a separate tool, wherein isolated evaluative (Mosca), functional (Pareto), mixed and a number of other approaches, requiring substantiation.

Masses– not as strange as trivial task, determine who it. Over the easiest way through disassociation from elite, when the mass is all but elite, but even here there are nuances, for example the issue of counter-elite.

counterelite– potential elite claims to power. As it is formed, environment in which, who can be considered counter-elite, etc..

The circulation of elites– how the update, fresh blood, any circulation methods exist and how they are effective.

circulation methods– rotation, co-opted, elections, inheritance. The pros and cons of each, Practical applicability and validity & quot;.

                          
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