Elites 3315w12-3
Elites • What they are, generically • People who occupy top positions in society, politics, business, sports, etc • Why they interest us • Have the most influence • Often thought the best at what they do
Political elites • Who counts? • Elected politicians? Party officials, unelected? • Top bureaucrats? • Who else has enough influence – ability to shape outcomes – to be included? • Media? Business? Movements? Military? Other countries? • How many? About 1/100th of 1% of pop. • So about 3000 in Canada nationally
Why they interest us: 2 reasons • As with any elite – they matter • What groups/interests are represented, overrepresented or underrepresented? • Do they keep up with the times? • Do elites changes as fast as society? • What if they don’t? • Why does that matter?
Big issue in LA • Living museum! • Especially to late 20th century • So is everyplace else, to some extent. • If elites can block others’ access to positions of power, what happens?
Thinking about elites: 3 ways • Standard PS, descriptive & positional • Top officials of the moments • Recognized influentials • Snapshot – ahistorical • Miss rising and falling stars
Power elite • Small group of people with interlocking interests; e.g., military, corporate, state • Each retains own interests • Can compete and disagree • Could even be several, competing power elites, at least in principle • Different issues or different levels
Ruling class • The class that controls the economy controls society • Historically the most accurate • Describes more of history than others • Relatively easy to apply • If you can define and identify the dominant economic class
Power elite v. Ruling class • Power elite: Emphasizes intra-elite diversity; possible clashes • Ruling class: Emphasizes unity; divisions often overlooked by analysts • Power elite more useful for PS • Internal conflict • Opportunities for change
We want to know • Who’s in the political elite • How it influences government • What its values are • Self-interested or public-regarding? • Publicly accountable? • Unified or divided? Over what issues? • Do they have outside allies? • How a different elite would change govt
In Latin America • Historically, independence to late 20th c. • An “Iron Triangle” or a Triumvirate • Church, Wealthy (especially landed elites), Military • One represents physical power + one for the power of money + one embodying moral power • Covers the bases. • A quick look at each
Church • Back to Reconquest and Conquest of America • Church has central role • Inquisition • Evangelizing • Educating • Legitimating state/social system
Had wealth economic influence; moral power political and social influence • Sometimes protected poor, especially indigenous • Often target of liberal, anticlerical reforms • Allied with conservatives ultramontanes • To protect self & retain/regain position
20th century revolutions (Mexico, Guatemala, Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua) • Anticlerical due to links between church and other elites • Changing times: 1960s on • Protestantism grows • 1916 ~ 125K in all; infinitesimal • Now between 60-65m, about 12% • Pluralism
Liberation Theology, 1960s through 1980s • Important in Brazil, El Salvador, Nicaragua • Content • Social action + political engagement • Leftist tilt • Christian Base Communities • Quashed by Vatican, JPII + Ratzinger/BXVI
Overall • Still influential in some countries • Not the force it was even 60 years ago • There will generally be moral or religious leaders among political elites • In LA the make-up of the moral elite is changing
How does this compare to other places? • USA? • Israel? • Egypt? • Iran? • Does religion matter in politics?
Military • Specialists in violence • Again historical trajectory • Conquest + Independence + Caudillo era • End of caudillo era professional militaries around 1870 • Brings new style military intervention
Institutional coups • Military as institution • Not individual leader • Why? • Bureaucratic Authoritarians, 1964-89 • New style military govt • Long-term, transformational • Some left disgraced; all left on own terms
Currently • Coup, Honduras 2009 • Attempted police coup, Ecuador, 2010 • The rest • Pressure groups • As in USA, so still matter • But in a different way
Elsewhere • Pakistan? • Egypt? • N. Korea? • Ivory Coast? • Military’s place in political elite changing worldwide
Wealthy • Invest, hire, shape economy, often focus of economic policy • Usually from several sectors • Finance • Resource • Manufacturing • Commerce or trade • One may dominate
In LA big landowners, latifundistas, dominate well into 20th, even 21st C. • Why? • Ag ex sector importance • Historic ties to other elites • Have money; enter new fields • Losing influence since 1990 • Some rebound currently
How? • Co-opt • Ally • Repress some; exclude others • Implications • Economic change: Fast? Slow? • Political change?
Elsewhere? • UK? • NL? • USA? • Russia? • South Africa? • Is LA and outlier?
New elites • Economics? • Power/ force? • Less important? • Moral?
Why it matters in LA • Old elite non-/anti-democratic • Was able to stay on top longer than most • Did it retard economic and political change? • Or did slow economic and political change keep the Three in power longer?
