elite

Elite refers to a small group within a larger population regarded as superior in ability, status, or influence. The term comes from the French élite, from late Latin eligere, meaning to choose. In common usage it can describe people or classes perceived as the best or most capable in a field, or a privileged subset that holds disproportionate power or access. The label can be descriptive, normative, or both, depending on context.

In social science, elites are those who exercise a disproportionate amount of political, economic, or cultural power. Political elites influence policy and decision-making; economic elites control significant capital, firms, or financial resources; military and cultural elites occupy leading positions within their spheres. The study of elites encompasses theories about how such groups emerge, how they maintain influence, and how power circulates or concentrates over time.

Historical and theoretical perspectives include Vilfredo Pareto's idea of the circulation of elites, Gaetano Mosca's law of the few, and Robert Michels' iron law of oligarchy. These frameworks examine how leadership is selected, reproduced, or challenged, and how democratic systems contend with elite influence. The concept also intersects with discussions of meritocracy, class, and social mobility.

Critics argue that elite labels can legitimize inequality or mask power dynamics. Questions concern legitimacy, accountability, access to opportunity, and how 'elite' differs from simply privileged or powerful groups. In contemporary discourse, the term is used in both analytical and promotional contexts, including sports, education, business, and media, to denote top-tier status or selective criteria.

Overall, 'elite' is a flexible term used to describe a small, influential subset recognized as superior in some respect, while remaining contested in its meanings and implications.