ELITISM
What is elitism?
Elitism is an exclusionary doctrine of beheviour. It refers to a social situation when a small minority provides "leadership" to a (much) larger majority. This arrangement may emerge "naturally" where a person organizes a group for some particular activity and then reverts to ordinary status when the task is over. Alternatively the leadership position may be formal, with recruitment, induction, operational, and termination procedures. This concept has just as "bad a name" amongst egalitarians as does altruism or collectivism amongst the egoists. People who "want" leadership opportunities are often assumed to either have hidden agendas (the desire for inordinate gain) or some form of psychopathology (the desire for unseemly domination).
For those in followership positions, a skeptical attitude about leadership candidates is a good way to nip gullibility in the bud. On the other hand, some arrangement for group coordination and cooperation, someone to set the goals and the pace, is usually needed, and often imposed. One of the perennial topics of first-year University courses in Sociology concerns whether or not social stratification is necessary. By the end of their third year, Sociology students usually agree that whether or not it is necessary, it certainly seems to be inevitable. French Sociologist Robert Michels call this phenomena "The Iron Law of Oligarchy" and it has proven correct ever since he articulated it.
How is elitism manifest?
When concessions are made to the “necessity” of leadership, egalitarians consistently opt for the “democratic” version – this is the person who uses consensual methods, talking things through and never pulling rank. In practice the truly productive leaders are not necessarily likeable or considerate – they are focused, self-centered, and driven by the need to achieve. However much such individuals may depart from the democratic version though, they do accomplish things, usually in less time, by means of less effort, and with measurably higher returns to the intellectual and financial capital invested (Koch, 2003). One business analyst described them as “tough but fair” – they want results, not excuses, but for those who deliver they will share the wealth and the glory (Ohmae, 1982). This flies in the face of the “leader as exploiter” stereotype, but that modern-day myth is no more reliable than the tales of Gods, Demons, Heroes and Villains from ancient folklore.
References
Kenichi Ohmae
THE MIND OF THE STRATEGIST
Penguin, New York, 1982
Richard Koch
THE 80/20 INDIVIDUAL
Doubleday, New York, 2003