Some French Concepts of Elites

Abstract

^ TUDIES OF 1tLITES tend to consist either in the analysis of a _concept or in the investigation of a group. The first approach aims at outliniIlg the functions of elites in society-the plurality of dlites deriving from the multiplicity of functions and their hierarchy from the importance attached to each function. The author's outlook will play a considerable part in this assessment and his scale of values may well diffier from that of the society whose elites he is endeavouring to classify. Thus Saint-Simonl described an elite as performing the tasks which are indispensable to economic prosperity and scientific progress; in his opinion, the disappearance of that elite would empoverish France more than that of the king, the royal family, the ministers, deputies, generals and heads of administrative departments. According to this classification, the main functions were no longer political and military'l'administration des choses' was to replace 'le gouvernement des hommes'. There is little doubt that St. Simon's views were only shared by a small minority of his contemporaries. Yet they were to exert a considerable influence upon the policy of economic expansion of the Second Empire. From the assessment of the values which should be foremost in the community (although they might not be the most highly appreciated by its members) to the classification of elites according to these values, the whole appraisal was normative and subjective. It was granted recognition nevertheless and inspired governmental action in a later period. St. Simon's theory may be considered as typical for an approach which does not aim at reflecting the actual structure of elites in a society, but may come to alter it. All normative studies of elites are based on the assumption that some functions are, or will be, of particular importance to the community and that elites are, or should be, composed of the individuals or the groups who can best perform these functions. The stress is on the needs of the society rather than on its actual structure at a given time. These needs may be fulfilled by the formation of a new dlite, then the theory which advocated it may be considered as creative. The second approach to the study of Elites is mainly descriptive. It is concerned with existing elites, such as they are in a given society. The criteria used to determine their membership are purely objective, i.e. 3 I 9