Political elitism in postmodern society: experience of the sociological analysis

Abstract

Purpose. This article is about the analysis the specifics of the political elite as a specific social phenomenon and the basic trends of its transformation in the transition to a postmodern society. Methods. The study focuses primarily on the theoretical understanding of the phenomenon of the society political elite and is based both on scientific methods (deductive, inductive, analysis and synthesis), and specially-research, including comparative historical, institutional matrix (with respect to the study forms of recruitment of elites) methods. Results. The article describes the features of the political elite, revealed its foundation, professional creativity and the basic components of combining personal characteristics, functional status and symptoms, as well as socio spiritual traits. Author considered the most important trends that contribute to the transformation of the political elite in the transition to the postmodern stage in social development. Scientific novelty. Author identified and analyzed not only the basic components of the political elite of modern society, but also revealed the social factors and mechanisms of their transformation in the transition to a postmodern society. First of all, this applies to the characteristics of a number of social strata and groups that make up the social structure of modern society, and extending the social basis of the elite and to the process of political recruitment.