The concept and functions of the political elite come from the definition itself, which represents this component of political science as a certain social group that differs from the bulk of human society. The term itself has been in use since the 16th century. In France, this was the name given to people belonging to the highest caste and forming the so-called ruling stratum.
The functions of political elites originated during the formation of the concept. Each such group, consisting of the best and chosen people, exercised control over some sphere of human life. The very separation of a certain part of society is an unequal distribution of social and natural rights among people. The functions of political elites contribute to the allocation of extraordinary abilities among the representatives of the population, thereby contributing to their elevation. Thus, we can safely define the ruling circles as a special social group, which, thanks to thehigh positions in the vertical of power has the maximum level of impact on society.
The structure and functions of the political elite have developed in the course of various historical processes. As a result, two main approaches to considering the origin of ruling groups have emerged:
- Structural-functional.
- Value.
The first is based on the belief that the exercise of governance of society gives political elites special rights and functions. The second, in turn, explains the existence of such social groups in terms of their superiority over other representatives of society. To some extent, one can also consider that the political elite is a model of intellectual and moral virtues. Unfortunately, the current reality is that the people who function as political elites are corrupt and cynical. Therefore, all of the above allows us to assess the vulnerability of both approaches.
Classification of ruling groups
Three categories are traditionally distinguished according to the assigned functions of power: higher, middle and administrative.
The first unites all sorts of political leaders and prominent figures who occupy a fairly high position in any branch of government. An example of such persons can be the president, as well as his entourage, leaders of political parties and heads of judicial and executive bodies.
The second includes all those who rank highposition in various elected bodies. For example, governors, deputies, mayors.
The third is the most general category. This includes all members of the government, as well as some of the civil servants.
The functions of political elites are quite diverse and serve to meet social needs. In addition to exercising control, the ruling group determines the political will of various social strata and regulates the processes for the implementation of this will, contributes to the formation of the goals of each social group, and is also a place for the accumulation of leadership personnel, which form a kind of reserve.
