Political elite in the West

The political elite is a group of politicians who make the most important decisions at the state level. The degree to which they are able to find consensus in society, to make effective decisions, to respond quickly to the demands of society, is mainly conditioned by the cultural and political environment, the impact of the educational system, the party system, and the family institution. The political elite is determined by the totality of all these factors together with the capabilities of each individual.

First of all, its social image is influenced by what class and sex are the possible candidates and what position in society they occupy. The percentage of officials coming from the working class is very small. Most of them are still middle and upper class, often have relatives in the government. Thus, social origin helps to select people who have already reached a certain financial position, have a social status. That is, they have all the prerequisites to engage in politics. There is still a gender disparity in the replacement of important posts.

Significantly affects the image of the elite and the quality of education. Successful engagement in politics is impossible without knowledge covering a wide range of issues. Studies have shown that 96% of people who hold public office have higher education. And this despite the fact that only 8% of the population have a university diploma. In addition, in some countries the political elite is open only to graduates of certain institutions. So, in England, only the diplomas of Cambridge and Oxford universities are listed.

As a rule, the political elite is aware of its importance in the life of society. However, it has a great influence and socio-cultural characteristics of the country in which she lives. That is, political elites of different countries can sometimes differ dramatically. For example, if for the representatives of one nation social justice, material well-being of society can be on the first place, then for the other - economic reliability, and for the third - social equality. Moreover, within the political elite of one country, too, there is no complete agreement about values.

Also, the behavior and thinking of the political elite is influenced by the cultural environment, which is a set of standards of behavior, concepts of life and values. Therefore, the political style of the elite, the effectiveness of its activities depend on the process of socialization, that is, on the process of assimilation of experiences, skills and knowledge that help to fulfill roles and roles in society. When the elite is formed, it is influenced by various factors, including social institutions. For example, the type of family: whether it is politicized or not. Or the level and type of education: whether enough time was spent on the upbringing and education of the future candidate, what professional specialization he acquired.

Of great importance is also to which party the candidate belongs, what role this party plays in the society, what is the attitude towards it (after taking office) of colleagues.

The degree of influence of all these socializing factors depends on the system of values that prevails in a particular society. Political elites oriented toward certain values form political, cultural and economic systems.

The political elite of Russia hardly fit into the generally accepted definition of the term "elite". This is due to the fact that in the country with post-communist society, at the stage of accelerated modernization, the reins of government are in the hands of the ruling class. And it is fundamentally different from the elite way of education. So, if the political elite comes to power thanks to prestigious education, wealth, a profession connected with politics, then the ruling classes, on the contrary, get all this thanks to coming to power.