Philosophy of Society

Social Philosophy (Theory of Society)

Theory of Elites

The socio-political transformations experienced by Europe at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries also influenced social theories. This was an era when monarchs and aristocrats, who had built Europe over centuries, established its social institutions, and shaped its cultural values, were losing power. A new force emerged— the masses or crowds— vast assemblies of people who, having realized their strength, organized revolutions, overthrew old forms of governance, and impacted politics. Each time the masses came to power, they imposed terror and bathed cities and villages in blood, as seen during the Reformation, the English Revolution of 1649-1660, the French Revolution, and the October Revolution of 1917. These upheavals alarmed European intellectuals, who recognized that the world was changing, and their sophisticated theories were being overshadowed by populist calls from those adept at manipulating the masses. Social philosophers of this period attempted to analyze the role of elites and the masses in human history.

One of the most significant contributions to this social philosophy was made by Vilfredo Pareto (1848-1923), an Italian economist and sociologist, though he was born in France and died in Switzerland. Pareto divided society into two strata: the elite and the masses. The elite comprises groups of individuals who lead humanity, setting its tone. These are the people who create science, culture, art, and spirituality, and determine the direction of human development. Everyone benefits from their work. The elite maintains its position through the talents of its members. Typically, the elite is quite exclusive, making entry difficult. Only when the elite lacks talent does it allow capable members of the masses to ascend to key positions. However, to join the elite, one must prove their worthiness, demonstrating exceptional talent in a particular field.

The masses always strive to ascend to the elite. When they attain power, they become the elite, while the previous elite is relegated to the masses, awaiting its historical opportunity. Throughout history, the masses have used the same slogans—justice, freedom, equality, democracy— to gain power. All revolutions in human history aimed to establish freedom and democracy. The elite also exploits these slogans to maintain its position, presenting itself as the bearer of these ideals. Even when the elite is indifferent to these ideals, it convinces everyone that it builds social relations on these principles. Likewise, when the masses come to power, they make no effort to implement the slogans they championed on their way to power. Pareto's theory of the constant dynamics of society, known as the theory of the circulation of elites, suggests that the masses and the elite continuously replace each other throughout history.

Pareto established a principle known as the Pareto Principle or the 80/20 Rule, which states that 80% of effects come from 20% of causes, and the remaining 20% of effects come from 80% of causes. For example, Pareto noted that 80% of Italy's capital during his time was owned by 20% of the population. In a company, 20% of the workers perform 80% of the work, while the remaining 80% of workers account for only 20% of the work. Based on this, Pareto concluded that the elite constitutes 20% of the population, producing 80% of all goods.

Pareto viewed the social processes related to the circulation of elites with neutrality, considering them a given reality that should not be judged. In contrast, Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset (1883-1955) critically evaluated the concentration of power in the hands of the masses. According to him, society consists of two strata: the aristocracy and the masses. The aristocracy represents the best members of society, who continuously strive for improvement and shape history, culture, and sciences. The masses, on the other hand, desire nothing and remain in constant stagnation. They harbor resentment towards the aristocracy, driven by envy. When an aristocrat falls to the level of the masses, envy turns into sympathy. People naturally sympathize with those who have fallen to a lower status than themselves, while envying those who have ascended to a higher status. The masses always hate the elite; thus, every historical moment of mass upheaval is accompanied by terror against the aristocracy. During the French Revolution’s guillotine or in Soviet concentration camps, it was not the masses who perished, but scholars, artists, clergy, literati, lawyers, economists, and nobles—representatives of the aristocracy. Once the masses come to power, they initially focus on the extermination of the aristocracy, as the masses appear primitive compared to the aristocracy, even with power and wealth in their hands. Humanity exists and progresses only due to the aristocracy. Therefore, when the aristocracy holds leading positions, civilization advances; when the masses replace the aristocracy, civilization declines.