According to Vilfredo parento's since in every society , there are classes people are unequal physically as well as intellectually and morally. In society as a whole, and in any of its particular strata and groupings, some people are more gifted than others.
He believed that individuals are born with quite different abilities and acquire quite different skills and aptitudes.
Basic characteristics of elites
1.The elite is having the capacity to establish superiority over others.
2.The class of elite is universal and continues process
3.The individual not belonging to either of the governing elite or non-governing elite are called non-elite.
4.The elite manipulate overtly or covertly the political power.
5.Circulation of upward and downward circulation amongst the members of the elite and non-elite is a typical characteristics of the elite.
6.The members of the elite class will always try that the non-elites should not influence social, economic and political processes in any manner.
The elite class people are minorities who are observed to have talent, intelligence, ability, and leadership to occupy positions of power. These minorities sometimes influence government decisions and gain dominant positions in society. When looking at all these “elite drama” in the society with all class of people
He Futher divided the Elite class into two categories
Types of elite
2.Non-governing elite - non-governing elite is comprising the rest of the individuals. ( Foxes, Rentiers, proletariat )
Every society has two types of individuals namely Foxes and Lions. Foxes are bold and courageous but not cautious, yet use cunningness to survive.
Lions are strong conservative, tradition, loving, orthodox and royal to the ideals of family, religion and country, they prefer to use force but not cleverness, hence people gets thier rulers from this category.
The Lion rule will not survive for longer period of time as society is dynamic, hence it needs innovativeness, here once again fox residue will come to rule.
The governing elite must have a good balance with combination of foxes and lion Residue for social and economic stability to establish social equilibrium.
Lions and foxes replace each other in a process called as " Circulation of elites " he saw modern democracy to as a form of elite domination.
By the circulations of elites, “Pareto wrote, “the governing elite is in a state of continuous and slow transformation. It flows like a river, and what it is today is different from what it was yesterday. Every so often, there are sudden and violent disturbances. The river floods and breaks its banks. Then afterwards, the new governing elite resume again and slow process of self-transformation. The river returns to its bed and once more flows freely on.”
Criticisms
1.He Fails to provide a method of measuring and distinguishing between the supposedly superior qualities of governing elite.
2.Robert michale criticized it's theoretical than practical.
3.pareto fails to provide a way of measuring the process of elite decadence,
4.Talcott Parsons criticised Pareto that he failed to define the conditions governing changes in the proportions of Residues. He has not said anything about biological and genetic factors.
5.Pareto concept of Residues and thier part in the social change is not clearly defined.
6.Mitchell criticised that Pareto scheme has a meta-physical strength along with an empirical weakness.
