The Sociology Post

What is the elite?

17th January 2025

We have all become familiar with politicians, journalists, and social commentators referring to the attitudes, influence, and power of 'elites', whether this be the 'WOKE elite', the 'liberal elite', or the 'metropolitan elite'. Yet, the idea of the elite is notoriousaly slippery and is rarely given any precise meaning. So, what is an elite, and who are its members?

Weber on Stratification

25th October 2018

It is commonly held that Weber identified three dimensions of stratification: class, status, and party. This has long been the standard view and has been repeated countless times. It is not, in fact, what Weber said, or even what he implied. I have tried to counter this interpretation before, but here goes again.