Elite Theory

Elite Theory

  • Submitted By: andy20en
  • Date Submitted: 01/18/2009 2:08 PM
  • Category: Philosophy
  • Words: 836
  • Page: 4
  • Views: 1902

Elite theory of the distribution of power Vilfredo Pareto was the first important theorist which approached the problem of elites in 1916 in his book Mind and Society. Pareto was trained as economist and theorist of sociology in University of Turin where he graduated and later become teacher of Political Economy in Laussane, Switzerland. Pareto states in Mind of Society states that the individuals are influenced by desires and illusions and we can’t speak of a logic of individual actions. One of Pareto’s main ideas was that when the number of individuals increases the more rational and logic act the group as a whole because the more individuals are involved, the illusions are lower. In Pareto’s opinion the group responsabilize the individual making him more rational. According to Pareto society is a system like physics, he tries somehow to apply phisycs when studies elites. One of Pareto’s most important principles is his Principle (known as „law of the vital few and the principle of factor sparsity” which states that 80 percent of effects comes from 20 percent of causes”. Another important theorist of elites was Gaetano Mosca, a conservative mind of southern Italy. His theories were similar to those of Pareto but more structural. Mosca stress that people can rise into elites. He was both politician and scientist merging academic teaching with membership in the Italian parliament. In his theory we can easily see political analysis combined with constitutional law theory. He underlined that in all societies there were two classes one small ruling class and another one big which is ruled. He thinks that the advantages of the ruling class are due to administrative advantages and to the talent of its members. Mosca also stated that in time the structure of the ruling class will change as the society became more complex and sophisticated. What Mosca called “_political formula”_ will also change, but “lack of change in the governmental structure can modify...

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