Elite Formation Research Articles

Destined to Brexit? British Pathways to Membership in the European Communities 1945–73

AbstractThis article explores whether and how the United Kingdom was destined to Brexit before it even joined the European Communities in 1973. Drawing on archival sources, media reports and literature about Britain's arduous relationship with ‘Europe’, it argues that four features made the Brexit outcome more likely. They were the accession to the EC as a measure of last resort which prevented the construction of a new sustainable narrative about a brighter future in ‘Europe’; the political elites’ use of the issue of EC membership or further integration for short term party gains; highly exaggerated hopes that membership in and by itself would cure Britain's economic ills or give it a new global leadership role; and a colonial style diplomacy that severely underestimated Britain's growing dependency on its continental European neighbours. In conclusion, the article argues that it nevertheless required the formation of a parochial political elite of little Englanders to achieve the extreme outcome of Brexit.

Perkembangan Pendidikan di Weltevreden Awal Abad 20

This study aims to provide a historical description of the development of education in Weltevreden (Nieuw Batavia) in the early 20th century. After the move from Oud Batavia to Weltevreden, it also had an impact on the development of education as a community need at that time in the new urban planning system. The method used in this study is the historical method which includes the stages of heuristics, criticism, interpretation, and historiography. Data collection techniques with literature studies of relevant sources. The historical and archaeological facts found show that there are remains that form the basis of the argument for the development of education in Weltevreden. Starting with the emergence of the Javanese medical school (STOVIA) as a pioneer in education in the health sector. Then continued with the establishment of the law school Rechtshoogeschool (RHS) until the formation of the indigenous elite who were partly members of the Volksraad.

The American University of Beirut and its role in the formation of the political elite in Jordan

تسلط الدراسة الضوء على تفسير وتحليل الدور الذي لعبته الجامعة الأمريكية ببيروت، في تكوين النخبة السياسية على مستوى رئاسة الحكومة الأردنية، في الفترة الواقعة بين العقد الخامس من القرن الماضي وحتى منتصف العقد الثاني من القرن الحالي.
 استخدمت الدراسة المنهج التاريخي الوصفي والتحليلي، بالاعتماد على وثائق أجنبية ووثائق الدولة الأردنية، وصحفها وبعض من الصحف العربية والصحافة الالكترونية لكثير من المواقع الإخبارية والرسمية، التي وثقت هذه الأحداث.
 وتوصلت الدراسة إلى أن الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية حققت نجاحا كبيرا في توظيف سياستها الناعمة وفرض أجندة مصالحها، من خلال استقطاب أعداد كبيرة من أبناء الدولة الأردنية للدراسة في الجامعة الأمريكية ببيروت، وإعداد تكوينهم في مختلف التخصصات، وتهيئتهم كقيادات واعدة وكصفوة حاكمة تحمل فكرا ليبراليا بتقلد عشرة منهم منصب رئاسة الحكومة فيها.
 وأوصت الدراسة بضرورة تعميق النهج السليم لولج نخب الكفاءات التي تمتلك مشروعا وطنيا ورؤية واضحة المعالم، تستند على الوعي في تحمل أعباء المسؤولية المنوطة بها تجاه مجتمع ومواطني الدولة الأردنية، بعيدا عن المصالح الاستراتيجية للدول العظمى في منطقتنا العربية.

THE INFLUENCE OF THE UKRAINIAN POLITICAL ELITE ON SOCIAL AND POLITICAL LIFE OF GALICIA IN THE LATE XIX – EARLY XX CENTUR IES

The article considers the peculiarities of the political situation in Galicia in the late ХІХ – early ХХ centuries and demonstrates main directions and methods of governmental activity of Ukrainian political elites at the parliamentary and local levels, aimed at protecting the national interests of Ukrainians. The authors examine the role of the Ukrainian political elite, determined by the factors that had the impact on the formation of this social group and its influence on the development of the Ukrainian national movement in Galicia. The peculiarities of the evolution of the Austrian electoral system are revealed, as well as the role of political parties and church figures in the formation of Ukrainian parliamentarism. The factors that influenced the formation of the Ukrainian political elite and its influence on the development of the Ukrainian national movement in Galicia are identified. It has been established that correctly chosen goals and perseverance, close connection with the needs of the people allowed Galician Ukrainians to become an important player in the political struggle both in the empire overall and in Galicia in particular. The subject of research is – the influence of elites on public administration in Galicia.

Formation of the national political elites in Sudan in the Interbellum

This work aims to study the formation of national elites in Sudan in the interbellum as this very period predetermined the countrys history since gaining independence in 1956. Within this article relations between three main groups are considered, namely religious, military and civil elites. The study is divided into three main parts. The first one concentrates on the history of Sudan before 1918, the second one is devoted to the interwar period, the third part aims to study the development of Sudan in World War II and the first post-war years. The special emphasis is given to the Sufi Tariqas as being not only religious but firstly political institutions. Directly within the context of Tariqas political and social influence, this article aims to study the formation of movements, political parties and associations, whose representatives later entered the political authority of the country. The Sudanese specifics of the national elites formation studied in this work is that the conservative religious elites managed to maintain the leading position within the struggle between traditional and modern political powers. The work explains how the inner nature of these elites, as well as their relations with the military and civil elites, predetermined the subsequent events.

Формирование цифровой элиты как новой страты глобально-информационного общества

Introduction. The article is devoted to the analysis of the process of formation of the digital elite, determines the legitimacy and regularity of its appearance as a new stratum of the global information society. The paper shows that the study of the process of formation of the digital elite, and the strengthening of its power components is relevant and at the same time complex, with no unambiguous judgments in modern political science. It requires increased attention of the Russian state to the problems of information security and the protection of information sovereignty. Methods and materials. When preparing the article, the author relied on the concept of the global information society, as well as a systematic analysis of the digital society and its strata as a single, complexly organized organism. The methods of comparative analysis, structural and institutional approach and scientific forecasting were used. Analysis. The author examines the general trends of the genesis of the global digital society, the current stage of human development, determines the essence and main features of the new emerging social stratum of this society – the transnational digital elite, its significance and influence on the development of world and Russian society. The article substantiates the thesis that through the digital management of society and the economy, transnational elites have the potential to establish global world governance in the long term. However, according to the author, such a prospect is not deterministic, but is only one of the options for the future development of mankind. The paper also reveals some features of the modern Russian digital transformation, examines the possibilities of the emergence of the Russian digital elite. Results. According to the results of the study, it is concluded that the formation of the digital elite occurs as a result of the gradual transformation of the ruling national and transnational elites, their transition to digital management technologies.

Usurpation of Aristocratic Privilege and the Social Identity of the Polish Noble Elite in the Period of the Partitions

The aristocratic titles, which the partitioning monarchies granted to some of their Polish noble subjects in the long nineteenth century, did not play a decisive role in the development and formation of the modern Polish noble elite. The foreign titles could only sanction the internal noble hierarchy, which was apparently much more determined by specific noble traditions and the cult of the pre-partition past. This argument is evidenced by the cases of families which did not need formal title grants to be recognized as truly aristocratic in that period.

ЖЕНЩИНЫ В БРИТАНСКОМ ПОЛИТИЧЕСКОМ ПРОЦЕССЕ В НОВЕЙШЕЕ ВРЕМЯ: РОЛЕВОЙ АНАЛИЗ

The practice and theory of the political process show that the specific of the behavior of men and women in politics is different. Coupled with gender stereotypes, that causes a difference in the portrayals and images of political leaders of different genders. The study of the peculiarities of women’s leadership in the formation of political elites is complicated by several theoretical issues related to the influence of gender stereotypes on it, including the role behavior. However, the influence of such stereotypes on the perception of female leadership does not mean that female political representation “automatically” leads to the humanization of the political process and contributes to the softness in the work of political institutions. The quantitative and qualitative analysis of the political courses of prominent women leaders in Great Britain of the 20th– 21st centuries shows that the real political courses of women leaders have little in common with the gender stereotypes that were attributed to them, what did not prevent them from being widely recognized as decisive leaders in their positions. More than 100 years of experience of women’s presence in the British politics allows us to highlight the common and special in their activities. Using the algorithm of SWOT-analysis of the successful growth and self-realization of the personality of iconic female politicians of Great Britain, the authors trace the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats for female leadership in the political process of Great Britain in the 20th–21st centuries.

Представництво національних меншин Польщі в органах державної влади

The question of the participation of all the public groups of the country in representative bodies of all levels is relevant to any state. However, the most difficult task is to represent the representative body of interests of national minorities. Different countries have come up with a different solution to this issue. The problem of the representation of national minorities in the authorities is for both traditionally multi-ethnic states and for countries that are reasonably homogeneous in the ethnic plan. This problem will persist as long as there are nations, nationalities, national minorities. People always seek to identify themselves with a particular community, and national identification is the most acceptable. The threat of assimilation of national minorities greatly enhances the desire to preserve its national identity, which always goes into the area of political relations and the need for political decision-making. This article analyzes the current problem of representation of national minorities in the legislative bodies of the Republic of Poland. The aim of the study was to analyze the participation of minority groups in the political (in particular, electoral) process of the state through the formation of ethnic elites and ethnopolitical parties. To complete the selected topic, the following tasks were set: to substantiate the place and the role of national minorities in the socio-political life of the state, to analyze the creation of political parties by individual national minorities and their participation in parliamentary and municipal elections. It is concluded that at the present stage all nationalities living in Poland are disproportionately represented in the state legislative bodies.

Политизация ислама и суфийские традиции в истории Турции

The purpose of the study: based on the analysis of the activities of the Tarikats, to characterize the political role of Sufism in Turkey. Research methodology: within the framework of political science discourse, based on the principles of scientific analysis, the role of Sufism in the political life of the country was analyzed, and its functional characteristics were determined within the framework of the structural-functional approach. Starting from the XII century the influence of Sufi orders on the formation of the political system of the Ottoman Caliphate is noted. Sufi orders were included in the political space of the empire, which led to its further cultural and historical development. The article examines the process of politicization of Sufism in the history of Turkey. The influence of the Islamic factor on the domestic policy of the country is noted. In the Republic of Turkey in the 30s. of the last century, Sufi orders became the first non-systemic opposition in the country. They posed a threat to the new national identity, and as a result, their activities were banned. Only in the second half of the XX century Tarikats are returning to the political space of Turkey. Their influence on the formation of political parties based on the Sufi ideology, lobbying their interests in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey is noted. Hizmet F. Gulen's movement was focused on building a new Turkish society on the principles of democratic "educational Islam". The result of his activities in the field of education was the opening of educational institutions in English, the training of personnel for work in government bodies. The main focus of the movement was the formation of a new political elite.

СИСТЕМА ВЫСШЕГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ В ИМПЕРАТОРСКОМ КИТАЕ КАК ГЛАВНЫЙ МЕХАНИЗМ САМООБНОВЛЕНИЯ ПОЛИТИЧЕСКИХ ЭЛИТ / THE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN IMPERIAL CHINA AS THE MAIN MECHANISM OF SELF-RENEWAL OF POLITICAL ELITES

The paper studies the education system of Imperial China. It provides descriptions of both supervising institutions such as the Hanlin Academy and educational institutions such as the government-owned Beijing and Nanjing Guozijiang and the private Shuyuan. The importance of the education system in the formation and self-renewal of the political elites of the Empire is indicated, and it is concluded that the education system has been and is the main source of stability and durability of the Chinese statehood.

ПРОЕКТИРОВАНИЕ СОЦИАЛЬНО-ОБРАЗОВАТЕЛЬНОЙ ПОДДЕРЖКИ ИНОСТРАННЫХ СТУДЕНТОВ УНИВЕРСИТЕТА

The intensive development of the vector of teaching foreign students at domestic universities indicates the need for a theoretical and scientific-methodological justification for its successful implementation in pedagogical practice. As a leading methodological basis for improving educational activities with students, I considered design. My theoretical study of the experience of domestic universities in the field of international educational cooperation in the field of higher education. The focus on developing academic mobility and increasing the export potential of the Russian education system contributes to the successful achievement of a number of significant goals. Among them: the formation of the competitiveness of Russian universities, increasing the attractiveness of Russian education in the world market, increasing the total income from the payment of foreign citizens studying in the Russian Federation, providing the Russian economy with qualified foreign specialists, strengthening the “soft power” of our country by participating in the formation of elites of foreign states. To implement these key areas, more efficient use of social and educational support resources is required, including relevant, relevant to the modern social period, scientifically based approaches and technologies. The experience of the teaching staff of the Orenburg State University with foreign students at the Faculty of Training of Foreign Citizens showed that design is a basic condition for the success of their social and educational support. Targeted interaction with students in educational, social, communicative, leisure project activities contributed to the orientation towards the personalization of relations, considering their individual characteristics of development, level of upbringing and training. Thus, a set of design possibilities, using technologies and models for the implementation of targeted assistance in the adaptation, personal and professional socialization of foreign students arriving at the university, will be useful in the pedagogical practice of teachers, lecturers, curators from institutions of higher and secondary vocational education.

Topical problems of elite formation in Russia and ways of their solution

Статья посвящена актуальным проблемам элитного фонда в современной России. Автор описывает сущность системы образования элит, плюсы и минусы советской системы образования элит, формулирует некоторые идеи относительно существующей системы образования элит в России.

Global Education and the National Economic Elite: Methodological Foundations for Understanding the Problem

In line with the survival of mankind, the problems of the formation of the economic elite as the main subject of the revival of Ukraine are considered. The e-school is presented as an anti-human project of globalization, directed against the formation of the economic elite. Global education of the future is the main trend in the deliverance of a person’s personality through a complete disregard for spirituality and morality. The economic elite is a fundamental subject of the revival of the national economic system. It is necessary to radically change the worldview in the format of humanity for the formation of the national economic elite. The role of school and higher education in the process of countering dehumanization and the creation of a human future is revealed.

Transformation of the Ethiopian Political Elite and the Armed Conflict in Tigray: from Driving Predecessors out to De-Escalation?

In the article the authors consider elite dimension of the conflict in Tigray. Conducting the analysis of intra-elite processes allows both to find out the roots and to estimate the consequences of the most fast-moving conflict in the Horn of Africa. The research consists of five conceptual parts, which are preluded by a short description of the run of events. In the first part the conflict potential which takes its roots in 1994-2018 is explained. It starts with the basic notion that ethnic lines predetermine formation of elites in Ethiopia. Then the study shows that one of the main causes for the dispute which has severely divided political elites was the hegemony of the TPLF in government institutions. The second part refers to the transit of power. Here the point under consideration is redistribution of resources and particular strategies adopted by polarized elites. The analysis demonstrates that Abiy Ahmed and his allies did their best to deprive the TPLF leaders of power and economic resources. The TPLF resorted to ethnic mobilization while their rivals tried to break the unity of Tigrayans through stressing the existence of a class conflict. The third and the fourth chapters focus on the investigation of federal elites’ and «tigrayan clan’s» current positions respectively. In conclusion, the authors structure their findings and estimate the perspectives of inter-elites consensus. The research provides three important conclusions. Firstly, the roots of the conflict led to the formation of «action-response» cycles which was the basis for a rapid development and escalation. Secondly, the ongoing war even consolidates ruling elites in their fear of the TPLF. Finally, de-escalation and negotiations may become possible amid internal disputes in the Prosperity Party.

От «власти достойных» к «власти популярных»: блеск и нищета меритократии в новую технологическую эпоху

The article is devoted to the study of the phenomenon of meri tocracy, which arouses considerable interest today both in political journalism and academia. The article shows that meritocracy has largely become the ideo logy of modern neoliberal elites, and therefore often serves as a cover for the actual plutocracy. Although the framework of cognitive capitalism witnesses a certain movement towards meritocratic principles of the formation of elites, it simultaneously prepares ground for the emergence of a kind of “trap of meritocracy”, when, for a number of reasons, the layer of “educated and talented” turns into a hereditary caste. At the same time, according to the author, the future hardly belongs to meritocrats, no matter how well they fit into the realities of the high-tech economy. New developments in artificial intelligence are jeopardizing many forms of intellectual work, leading to a cut-throat competition for a decreasing number of high-paying jobs. In turn, the bourgeois world of labor is being replaced by a post-capitalist world of idleness and creativity as the production of intangible goods. The rapid development of social media makes emotional and social intelligence, as well as the ability to achieve popularity and influence through media activities, increasingly important. In other words, modern technology makes life difficult for cognitive elites, while opening up enormous opportunities for very different social groups. In this regard, the author puts forward a hypothesis according to which popularity will become a key criterion for the formation of elites in the foreseeable future rather than merit. Postcapitalist personocracy will gradually replace bourgeois meritocracy, which, however, does not exclude the possibility of the preservation of the myth of meritocracy, implying that those who can skillfully attract attention will be assigned various merits.

Beaten paths towards the transnational corporate elite

The transnationalization of economic activities has fundamentally altered the world. One of the consequences that has intrigued scholars is the formation of a transnational corporate elite. While the literature tends to focus on the topology of the transnational board interlock network, little is known about its driving mechanisms. This article asks the question: what are the trajectories that corporate elites follow in driving the expansion of this network? To answer this, the authors employ a novel approach that models the transnationalization of elites using their board appointment sequences. The findings show that there are six transnationalization trajectories corporate elites follow to expand the network. The authors argue that while the transnational elite network appears as a global social structure, its generating mechanisms are regionally organized. This corroborates earlier findings on the fragmentation of the global network of corporate control, but also provides insights into how this network was shaped over time.

Elite Profile and Type of Institutional Transformation: Comparison of Russia and Slovenia

Abstract Russia and Slovenia are in many aspects very dissimilar countries. The process of systemic change in the post-communist period was also usually assessed differently. Slovenia is an example of successful transformation that resulted in consolidated democracy and effective market economy, while Russia is an example of flawed democratisation, resulting in authoritarian reversal and an oligarchic economy with a combination of state interference and domination of ‘olygarchs’. However, the global crisis revealed some severe structural weaknesses of the Slovenian model of transition that led to the development of a rather dysfunctional democracy and ‘crony-capitalism’ characterised by entanglement of political and business elite that is—at least in some aspects—rather similar to the situation in Russia. We claim that these similarities between the two countries are predominantly determined by the type of elite formation and configuration, i.e. a high level of elite reproduction and ideological hegemony of one political faction that led to development of institutional setting with a number of ‘extractive’ characteristics.

The Elite Formation in Croatia during the Transition: Focusing on the Patterns and the Results of ‘Elite Circulation’ and ‘Elite Reproduction’

크로아티아 역사에서 동유럽 공산주의 정권의 몰락과 체제 변환은 ‘거대한 전환’이었다. 공산주의 정권으로부터 시장 자본주의;민주주의로의 전환에서 크로아티아는 새로운 유럽의 일원으로 재탄생해야 했다. 대규모 사회 전환이나 체제 전환에는 자연스럽게 정치;사회;경제 엘리트들의 대규모 재편이 발생한다. 혁명적 체제 전환에서 엘리트 재편에 관심을 두는 이유는 엘리트 재편의 결과가 해당 국가나 사회의 방향성을 판단하는 중요한 척도 중 하나이기 때문이다. 새로운 체제는 누군가에게는 새로운 질서에 적응하고 변신해야 하는 생존의 문제이고;누군가에게는 패배만이 있는 도태의 시작이고;또 누군가에게는 새로운 기득권을 쟁취할 기회일 수도 있다. 체제 전환 이후 동유럽 국가에서 발생하였던 엘리트 재편은 한 영역이 아닌 사회 전체 영역에서 발생한 장기적 변동의 시작점이었다. 이 연구는 ‘공산주의 정권 권력 엘리트 계층이 체제 전환기 피지배 계층으로 전락하고;이전 피지배 계층이 권력 계층 지위를 획득했는가? 어떤 계층이 새로운 지배 엘리트로 새롭게 편입되었는가?’를 체제 전환기 신 엘리트와 구 엘리트의 내용적 비교 분석을 통해 크로아티아 엘리트 재편의 양상과 특징을 설명했다. 혁명적 체제 전환기 크로아티아 권력 엘리트의 순환은 매우 제한적이었다. 크로아티아에서는 역동적이고 단계적 발전의 엘리트 재편은 전쟁과 독재로 인해 발생하지 못했다. 크로아티아의 진정한 민주화와 체제 전환은 독재가 종식되는 ‘크로아티아 2차 체제 전환’ 시기인 2000년 이후에나 진행된다.

Replace the Elite

The article presents the authors reflections on Michael Lind’s book “The New Class War: Saving Democracy from the Managerial Elite” that tries to explain the on-going process of the rise of populism and the decline of liberalism in the West. Reflecting upon the theme and theses of the book, the author of the article analyzes the phenomenon of the managerial elite formation as a new type of the ruling class that is estranges from the social environment and value settings of the majority of population in the Western countries, and this new class sets the current economic and political agenda. Going further than the author of the book, Patrick Deneen calls for the radical replacement of the current elite libertarian ethos for popular conservatism targeted at general material and social capital, family and local communities support