Elitism
Elitism is a belief or attitude that an elite — a selected group of persons whose personal abilities, specialized training or other attributes place them at the top of any field (see below) — are the people whose views on a matter are to be taken most seriously, or who are alone fit to govern. Thus elitism sees an elite as occupying a special position of authority or privilege in a group, set apart from the majority of people who do not match up with their abilities or attributes. Thus this selected elite is treated with favouritism. Members of an inherited elite are aristocrats and naturally tend towards preserving the status quo..
For the converse of "elitism" see "anti-elitism" and "populism".
Attributes that identify an elite vary; personal achievement may not be essential. Attributes of elites include:
* High level of political influence
* Membership in powerful cliques and desirable clubs
* High level of academic qualifications
* High level of experience in a given field (achieved status)
* High intelligence
* High natural abilities such as athletic abilities
* High creativity
* Good taste, since "taste" is defined by the elite
* Claimed innate qualities, abilities, or other ascribed status.
Commonly, large amount of personal wealth, often assessed as the reward of elite qualities by those who are impressed by it, are insufficient on their own, as every nouveau riche can attest.
The term elitism is also used to refer to situations where a group of people who claim to possess high abilities or simple an in-group or cadre conspire to give themselves extra privileges at the expense of all other people. This form of elitism may be described as discrimination.
Less commonly, elitism may also refer to situations where an elite is given both special privileges and special responsibilities, in the hope that this arrangement will benefit all people.
At times elitism is closely related to social class and stratification. People within a higher social class are usually known as the "social elite".
Elite
Élite is taken from the latin, eligere, "to elect". In sociology as in general usage, the élite (the "elect," from French) is a relatively small dominant group within a larger society, which enjoys a privileged status which is upheld by individuals of lower social status within the structure of a group. When applied to an individual, as in the phrase "many élites come to this restaurant," the usage quite economically both refers to an individual within that class and establishes the speaker as non-élite.
An Élite are the result of economic and political forces within a social structure. Upon formation, societies have always had the tendency to stratify due to a combination of politics and ability. The position of an élite at the top of the social strata almost invariably puts it in a position of leadership and often subjects the holders of élite status to pressure to maintain their position as part of the élite. However, in spite of the pressures borne by its members, the existence of the élite as a social strata is usually unchanged.
Class élite
Élite advantages are the usual ones of a dominant social class: easier access to capital and political power, more rigorous education largely free of indoctrination, resulting in cultural influence, and leadership.
Élites may justify their existence based on claims of inherited position; with the rise in authority of science, certain 19th and 20th century élites have embraced pseudoscientific justifications of genetic or racial superiority. In Nazi Germany, genetic superiority was used as the basis of an imagined "Aryan" élite. Élite classes headed by monarchies have traditionally employed religious sanctions for their position.
Meritocracy is a facet of society that tries to promote merit as a route to the élite. Societies such as that of the United States have it in their culture to promote such a facet [see Horatio Alger]. However, while it tends to be imperfect it sheds light as to what many believe to be the "ideal" élite: an élite that is porous and whose members have earnt their position as society's top class.
Aristocracy and oligarchy are social systems which feature an élite as the ruling class. An élite group, ranged round the alpha male, is a distinct feature of other closely-related social primates.
Source: Wikipedia
For the converse of "elitism" see "anti-elitism" and "populism".
Attributes that identify an elite vary; personal achievement may not be essential. Attributes of elites include:
* High level of political influence
* Membership in powerful cliques and desirable clubs
* High level of academic qualifications
* High level of experience in a given field (achieved status)
* High intelligence
* High natural abilities such as athletic abilities
* High creativity
* Good taste, since "taste" is defined by the elite
* Claimed innate qualities, abilities, or other ascribed status.
Commonly, large amount of personal wealth, often assessed as the reward of elite qualities by those who are impressed by it, are insufficient on their own, as every nouveau riche can attest.
The term elitism is also used to refer to situations where a group of people who claim to possess high abilities or simple an in-group or cadre conspire to give themselves extra privileges at the expense of all other people. This form of elitism may be described as discrimination.
Less commonly, elitism may also refer to situations where an elite is given both special privileges and special responsibilities, in the hope that this arrangement will benefit all people.
At times elitism is closely related to social class and stratification. People within a higher social class are usually known as the "social elite".
Elite
Élite is taken from the latin, eligere, "to elect". In sociology as in general usage, the élite (the "elect," from French) is a relatively small dominant group within a larger society, which enjoys a privileged status which is upheld by individuals of lower social status within the structure of a group. When applied to an individual, as in the phrase "many élites come to this restaurant," the usage quite economically both refers to an individual within that class and establishes the speaker as non-élite.
An Élite are the result of economic and political forces within a social structure. Upon formation, societies have always had the tendency to stratify due to a combination of politics and ability. The position of an élite at the top of the social strata almost invariably puts it in a position of leadership and often subjects the holders of élite status to pressure to maintain their position as part of the élite. However, in spite of the pressures borne by its members, the existence of the élite as a social strata is usually unchanged.
Class élite
Élite advantages are the usual ones of a dominant social class: easier access to capital and political power, more rigorous education largely free of indoctrination, resulting in cultural influence, and leadership.
Élites may justify their existence based on claims of inherited position; with the rise in authority of science, certain 19th and 20th century élites have embraced pseudoscientific justifications of genetic or racial superiority. In Nazi Germany, genetic superiority was used as the basis of an imagined "Aryan" élite. Élite classes headed by monarchies have traditionally employed religious sanctions for their position.
Meritocracy is a facet of society that tries to promote merit as a route to the élite. Societies such as that of the United States have it in their culture to promote such a facet [see Horatio Alger]. However, while it tends to be imperfect it sheds light as to what many believe to be the "ideal" élite: an élite that is porous and whose members have earnt their position as society's top class.
Aristocracy and oligarchy are social systems which feature an élite as the ruling class. An élite group, ranged round the alpha male, is a distinct feature of other closely-related social primates.
Source: Wikipedia
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