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{{short description|Attitude that a select, elite group of individuals deserve more influence than others}} {{Short description|Notion that elites deserve more influence}}
{{redirect|Elitist}} {{Redirect|Elitist}}
{{Wiktionary|elite|elitism}}
{{Discrimination sidebar|expanded=Social}} {{Discrimination sidebar}}
'''Elitism''' is the belief or attitude that individuals who form an ]—a select group of people with an intrinsic ], high ], ], special skills, or experience—are more likely to be constructive to society as a whole, and therefore deserve influence or authority greater than that of others.<ref name=":0" /> The term ''elitism'' may be used to describe a situation in which power is concentrated in the hands of a limited number of people. Oppositions of elitism include ], ], ], and ] of ].
'''Elitism''' is the notion that individuals who form an ] — a select group with desirable qualities such as ], ], ], ], notability, special ], ], ] — are more likely to be constructive to society and deserve greater influence or authority.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/elitist|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925233306/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/elitist|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 25, 2016|title=elitist {{!}} Definition of elitist in English by Oxford Dictionaries|website=Oxford Dictionaries {{!}} English|access-date=March 4, 2019}}</ref> The term ''elitism'' may be used to describe a situation in which power is concentrated in the hands of a limited number of people. Beliefs that are in opposition to elitism include ], ] (against powerful institutions perceived to be controlled by elites), ], and the ] of ].


] is the sociological or political science analysis of elite influence in society: elite theorists regard ] as a ]. Elitism is closely related to ] and what ]s term "]". In modern ], social stratification is typically defined in terms of three distinct ]es: the ], the ], and the ].<ref name="Saunders1990">{{cite book | author-link=Peter Robert Saunders | url=https://archive.org/details/socialclassstrat0000saun | url-access=registration | title=Social Class and Stratification | publisher=Routledge | last=Saunders | first=Peter | year=1990 | isbn=978-0-415-04125-6}}</ref>
] is the sociological or political science analysis of elite influence in society: elite theorists regard pluralism as a utopian ideal.


⚫ Some ]s for "elite" might be "upper-class" or "]", indicating that the individual in question has a relatively large degree of control over a society's ]. This includes those who gain this position due to socioeconomic means and not personal achievement. However, these terms are misleading when discussing elitism as a political theory, because they are often associated with negative "class" connotations and fail to appreciate a more unbiased exploration of the philosophy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/elitist|title=ELITIST {{!}} meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary|website=dictionary.cambridge.org|language=en|access-date=4 March 2019}}</ref>
Elitism is closely related to ] and what ]s call ], which in the ] tradition have long been anchored in the "blue blood" claims of hereditary ]. Members of the upper classes are sometimes known as the social elite.

The term ''elitism'' is also sometimes used to denote situations in which a group of people claiming to possess high abilities or simply an ] or ] grant themselves extra privileges at the expense of others. This form of elitism may be described as ].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/?id=STZTAQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=elitism#v=onepage&q=elitism&f=false|title=Elitism (Routledge Revivals)|last=Field|first=G. Lowell|last2=Higley|first2=John|date=October 14, 2013|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781135092214|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/elitist|title=elitist {{!}} Definition of elitist in English by Oxford Dictionaries|website=Oxford Dictionaries {{!}} English|access-date=March 4, 2019}}</ref>

⚫ Some ]s for "elite" might be "upper-class" or "]", indicating that the individual in question has a relatively large degree of control over a society's ]. This includes those who gain this position due to socioeconomic means and not personal achievement. However, these terms are misleading when discussing elitism as a political theory, because they are often associated with negative "class" connotations and fail to appreciate a more unbiased exploration of the philosophy.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/elitist|title=ELITIST {{!}} meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary|website=dictionary.cambridge.org|language=en|access-date=March 4, 2019}}</ref>


==Characteristics== ==Characteristics==
Attributes that identify an elite vary; personal achievement may not be essential. Elite status ''can'' be based on personal achievement, such as degrees from top-rate universities or impressive internships and job offers, as well as on lineage or passed-on fame from parents or grandparents.{{cn|date=December 2019}} Attributes that identify an elite vary; personal achievement may not be essential. Elite status ''can'' be based on personal achievement, such as degrees from top-rate universities or impressive internships and job offers, as well as on lineage or passed-on fame from parents or grandparents.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}


As a term, "elite" usually describes a person or group of people who are members of the uppermost class of society, and wealth can contribute to that class determination. Personal attributes commonly purported by elitist theorists to be characteristic of the elite include: rigorous study of, or great accomplishment within, a particular field; a long track record of competence in a demanding field; an extensive history of dedication and effort in service to a specific discipline (e.g., medicine or law) or a high degree of accomplishment, training or ] within a given field; a high degree of physical ].{{cn|date=December 2019}} As a term, "elite" usually describes a person or group of people who are members of the uppermost class of society, and wealth can contribute to that class determination. Personal attributes commonly purported by elitist theorists to be characteristic of the elite include: rigorous study of, or great accomplishment within, a particular field; a long track record of competence in a demanding field; an extensive history of dedication and effort in service to a specific discipline (e.g., medicine or law) or a high degree of accomplishment, training or ] within a given field; a high degree of physical ].{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}


Elitists tend to favor social systems such as ], ] and ] as opposed to political ] and ]. Elitists believe only a few "movers and shakers" truly change society, rather than the majority of people who only vote and elect the elites into power.<ref>{{cite web|title=Elite (elitist) theory|url=http://www.auburn.edu/~johnspm/gloss/elite_theory|website=auburn.edu|publisher=Auburn University|accessdate=13 August 2014}}</ref> Elitists tend to favor social systems such as ], combined with ] and/or ], as opposed to political ] and ]. Elitists believe only a few "movers and shakers" truly change society, rather than the majority of people who only vote and elect the elites into power.<ref>{{cite web|title=Elite (elitist) theory|url=http://www.auburn.edu/~johnspm/gloss/elite_theory|website=auburn.edu|publisher=Auburn University|access-date=13 August 2014}}</ref>


==See also== ==See also==
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==References== ==References==
{{reflist}} {{Reflist}}


==External links== ==External links==
{{Wikiquote}} {{Wikiquote}}
* {{Wiktionary-inline|elitism}} {{Wiktionary|elitism}}
* ] (June 2008). . "Our best universities have forgotten that the reason they exist is to make minds, not careers." ''].'' &nbsp; of William Deresiewicz’s book '']'' (April 2015), '']'' * ] (June 2008). . "Our best universities have forgotten that the reason they exist is to make minds, not careers." ''].'' &nbsp; of William Deresiewicz's book '']'' (April 2015), '']''

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Latest revision as of 21:42, 25 October 2024

Notion that elites deserve more influence "Elitist" redirects here. For other uses, see Elitist (disambiguation).
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Elitism is the notion that individuals who form an elite — a select group with desirable qualities such as intellect, wealth, power, physical attractiveness, notability, special skills, experience, lineage — are more likely to be constructive to society and deserve greater influence or authority. The term elitism may be used to describe a situation in which power is concentrated in the hands of a limited number of people. Beliefs that are in opposition to elitism include egalitarianism, anti-intellectualism (against powerful institutions perceived to be controlled by elites), populism, and the political theory of pluralism.

Elite theory is the sociological or political science analysis of elite influence in society: elite theorists regard pluralism as a utopian ideal. Elitism is closely related to social class and what sociologists term "social stratification". In modern Western societies, social stratification is typically defined in terms of three distinct social classes: the upper class, the middle class, and the lower class.

Some synonyms for "elite" might be "upper-class" or "aristocratic", indicating that the individual in question has a relatively large degree of control over a society's means of production. This includes those who gain this position due to socioeconomic means and not personal achievement. However, these terms are misleading when discussing elitism as a political theory, because they are often associated with negative "class" connotations and fail to appreciate a more unbiased exploration of the philosophy.

Characteristics

Attributes that identify an elite vary; personal achievement may not be essential. Elite status can be based on personal achievement, such as degrees from top-rate universities or impressive internships and job offers, as well as on lineage or passed-on fame from parents or grandparents.

As a term, "elite" usually describes a person or group of people who are members of the uppermost class of society, and wealth can contribute to that class determination. Personal attributes commonly purported by elitist theorists to be characteristic of the elite include: rigorous study of, or great accomplishment within, a particular field; a long track record of competence in a demanding field; an extensive history of dedication and effort in service to a specific discipline (e.g., medicine or law) or a high degree of accomplishment, training or wisdom within a given field; a high degree of physical discipline.

Elitists tend to favor social systems such as technocracy, combined with meritocracy and/or plutocracy, as opposed to political egalitarianism and populism. Elitists believe only a few "movers and shakers" truly change society, rather than the majority of people who only vote and elect the elites into power.

See also

References

  1. "elitist | Definition of elitist in English by Oxford Dictionaries". Oxford Dictionaries | English. Archived from the original on 25 September 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  2. Saunders, Peter (1990). Social Class and Stratification. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-04125-6.
  3. "ELITIST | meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary". dictionary.cambridge.org. Retrieved 4 March 2019.
  4. "Elite (elitist) theory". auburn.edu. Auburn University. Retrieved 13 August 2014.

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