Elites and Society - Pelican Author:T. B. Bottomore Every society has its elite--from the least-developed jungle tribe with its hereditary warrior chiefs to the great modern civilizations with their political, industrial and financial power-pyramids. The elitists--social theorist who have examined the minority elite groups--have had an important influece on modern sociology. This book is a survey... more » of the principal elitist theories, from Mosca and Pareto to C. Wright Mills and Raymond Aron. It distinguishes between the theoretical and ideological elements in such theories, and reviews as well some of hte principal experimental studies of elite gorups both in advanced and underdeveloped countries. Finally, it considers some questions of social philosophy which arise from a confrontation of the iea of elites with the ideas of democracy and social equality.« less