The concept and functions of the political elite come from the very definition, which represents this component of political science as a
social group that differs from the bulk of human society. The very term began to be used since the 16th century. In France, the so-called people belonging to the higher caste and forming the so-called ruling layer.
The functions of political elites arose during the formation of the concept. Each such group, consisting of the best and chosen people, carried out the management of any sphere of human life. The isolation of a certain part of society is an unequal distribution of social and natural rights between people. The functions of political elites contribute to the allocation of extraordinary abilities among representatives of the population, thereby contributing to their exaltation. Thus, the ruling circles can be safely defined as a special social group, which, thanks to its high positions on the vertical of power, has the maximum level of impact on society.
The structure and functions of the political elite have developed during various historical processes. As a result, two main approaches have been formed to consider the origin of the ruling groups:
- Structurally functional.
- Valuable.
The first is based on the belief that the management of society gives political elites special rights and functions. The second, in turn, explains the existence of such social groups in terms of their superiority over other representatives of society. To some extent, we can also assume that the political elite is a model of intellectual and moral virtues. Unfortunately, at present the reality is that people acting as political elites are corrupt and cynical. Therefore, all of the above allows us to assess the vulnerability of both approaches.
Classification of ruling groups
According to the assigned functions, the authorities traditionally distinguish three categories: higher, middle and administrative.
The first unites all kinds of political leaders and prominent figures, occupying a fairly high position in any branch of government. An example of such persons can be the president, as well as his entourage, leaders of political parties and heads of judicial and executive bodies.
The second includes all those who occupy a high position in various elected bodies. For example, governors, deputies, mayors.
The third is the most general category. This includes all members of the government, as well as some of the civil servants.
The functions of political elites are quite diverse and serve to meet social needs. In addition to the management, the ruling group determines the political will of various social strata and regulates the implementation of this will, contributes to the formation of the goals of each social group, and is also a place of accumulation of leading cadres, which form a kind of reserve.