Knowledge and Social Networks in the Construction of Elite Lawyers in Venezuela

Abstract

This article describes the rise of Venezuelan lawyers as members of the country's intellectual and social leadership, and their notable influence throughout different historic periods, from their key contribution to the consolidation of the country's political and intellectual leadership during the nineteenth century, to their emergence as power brokers bridging the public and private sectors during the economic and social expansions that took place during most of the twentieth century. This work also explains how, in spite of the radical political transition that took place in the late 1990s and which led to the disappearance of the traditional elites, the new regime created the conditions for the emergence of new networks in similar fashion to the ones that existed in the past, revealing that regardless of which particular social group is in power personal connections remain vital in making the justice system work, and the presence of lawyers is very important.