Political Elites

Abstract

The importance of studying political elites is beyond controversy. In 1976 Putnam already defined this group as “[…] those whose decisions shape our world.” (1976, IX). The discussion on political elites, which has its roots in the theoretical considerations of Mosca and Pareto (Mosca 1923; Pareto 1979), who objected the view of the Marxists, has been looked at from very different points of view. There is a vast range of theoretical ideas (e.g. Bottomore 1993; Dahl 1961; Michels 1989; Mills 1956; Stammer 1951; Weber 1919) and a huge amount of empirical studies (e.g. Burton, Gunther and Higley 1995; Field, Groholt and Higley 1976; Herzog 1975; Higley, Pakulski and Wesolowski 2002; Rose and Mishler 1994) of elites on all different levels. Most analyses are concentrated on either the local, regional, national or, coming up more and more in the last years, the European level. Some, but unfortunately, not too many scientists have even tried to carry out comparative analyses (e.g. Best and Cotta 2000; Blondel and Thiebault 1991; Pennings 2000; Putnam 1976) or studies on the interchange of elites between different levels. Despite the huge amount of work that has been done on the topic of elites up to now, it is often claimed that theoretical ideas are not properly linked to empirical works. Furthermore, case studies are normally carried out with the limited scope of describing a particular reality at a certain point in time. Most analyses do not go beyond this and do not aim at comparing their own results with other works in order to be able to draw further conclusions (e.g. Hoffmann-Lange 1990: 23f; Putnam 1976: IX). This panel tries therefore to bring together young scientists who are working in the field of political elites to enable them to exchange ideas and material. We are going to have participants both from Eastern and Western Europe, focusing on different but interconnected topics. By having people with various backgrounds but similar interests on the panel, we hope to have a fruitful discussion on theoretical considerations and empirical implications of the study of political elites. Literature Best, Heinrich and Maurizio Cotta. Hg. 2000. Parliamentary Representatives in Europe 1848-2000. Oxford u.a.: Oxford University Press. Blondel, Jean and Jean-Louis Thiebault. Hg. 1991. The Profession of Government Minister in Western Europe. Basingstoke u.a.: Macmillan Press. Bottomore, Tom. 1993. Élites and Society. London u.a.: Routledge Publications. Burton, Michael, Richard Gunther and John Higley. 1995. Elites and Democratic Consolidation in Latin America and Southern Europe. Polis 4. Dahl, Robert A. 1961. Who Governs? Democracy and Power in an American City. New Haven: Yale University Press. Field, G. Lowell, Knut Groholt and John Higley. 1976. Elite Structure and Ideology. A Theory with Applications to Norway. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. Herzog, Dietrich. 1975. Politische Karrieren. Selektion und Professionalisierung politischer Führungsgruppen. Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag. Higley, John, Jan Pakulski and Wlodzimierz Wesolowski. 2002. Postcommunist Elites and Democracy in Eastern Europe. Basingstoke u.a.: Palgrave Macmillan Publications. Hoffmann-Lange, Ursula. 1990. Eliten in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Stuttgart u.a.: Kohlhammer Verlag. Michels, Robert. 1989. Zur Soziologie des Parteiwesens in der modernen Demokratie. Untersuchungen über die oligarchischen Tendenzen des Gruppenlebens. Stuttgart: Alfred Kröner Verlag. Mills, Charles Wright. 1956. The Power Elite. Oxford u.a.: Oxford University Press. Mosca, Gaetano. 1923. Elementi di Scienza Politica. Torino: Fratelli Bocca Editori. Pareto, Vilfredo. 1979. The Rise and Fall of the Elites. An Application of Theoretical Sociology. New York: Arno Press. Pennings, Paul. 2000. Consequences of Ministerial Recruitment for the Functioning of Cabinets in Western Europe. Acta Politica 35 (1): 86-103. Putnam, Robert D. 1976. The Comparative Study of Political Elites. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall Press. Rose, Richard and William T. E. Mishler. 1994. Representation and Effective Leadership in Post-Communist Political Systems. Glasgow: University of Strathclyde Press. Stammer, Otto. 1951. Das Elitenproblem in der Demokratie. Schmollers Jahrbuch für Gesetzgebung, Verwaltung und Volkswirtschaft 71: 513-540. Weber, Max. 1919. Politik als Beruf. Berlin: Duncker und Humblot.

Title	Details
New national delegations in the European Parliament - do they make a difference?	View Paper Details
Young professionals in political elites - Recruitment and carrier patterns in Hungary	View Paper Details
Regime Change and Elite Change: Theoretical Implications of the Portuguese Case	View Paper Details
New Regionalism in sub-Saharan African Weak States: The Case of Angola	View Paper Details
New power elites in cities and communities?	View Paper Details