Vardan Baghdasaryan: About the recruiting of political elites

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Vardan Baghdasaryan: About the recruiting of political elitesOnly the lazy does not speak about the need to change the modern political elite. But if the decision on such a change is really made, then, naturally, the question will arise about how to implement it. I would characterize the proposals circulating in public discourse as a romantic democracy. The proposed system of recruiting (selection, selection) correlates with the functioning of democratic institutions: election, the dependence of the executive power on the representative, independence of the courts, elimination of political censorship, reduction of political appointees. I catch myself thinking that all this has already happened. This whole set of recommendations is well known from the experience of reforming the second half of the 1980s. Then the society was covered by some elective syndrome. What was the result? Clan groups have flourished, the criminal world almost openly introduces their appointees into power, and ethnic lobbying mechanisms are being formed. For comparison, in 1986, the representation of national minorities in the Central Committee of the CPSU was 24.7%, and already in 1990, it was 46%. In general, the illusions of democratizing the system of elitist rotations then failed. Today it is proposed to repeat the experiment. But will the consequences of this experimentation be even more catastrophic?

The political elite, in fact, is nowhere and never formed democratically. The thesis of the need for democratization often used a counter-elite against the existing elitist group.

The formation of elites in reality in all historical had a niche, closed character. Everywhere it was determined by the presence of various filtration institutions. In the European Middle Ages, these were monastic orders. In the East, the role of a kind of political filter belonged to religious schools. In modern times, various kinds of political clubs appear. Filtration functions historically belonged (and there is reason to believe that they still belong) to the institution of Freemasonry. Given the real high cost of political elections, there is also a certain financial filter of elitist selection.

In order to discover the true mechanisms of recruiting elites hidden behind the screen of democracy, it suffices to turn to the US experience. The elitist selection filtration institutions are the reality of American political life.

On the one hand, these are tribal clans. Two Bush, two Clinton, previously two Adams, the Kennedy clan, the Roosevelt clan - all this is quite bad with the classical notion of democracy.

Another American elite filter is represented by religious institutions. Even M. Weber testified to their regulatory significance in the life of Americans. When moving to any city in the United States, a person who engages in public activities, the first thing is to register with an existing religious community. Such registration serves as an unofficial public pass (filter). Without this, the success of a person in the public sphere is impossible.

Judging by official sociological data, the religious structure of American society has the following representation: 51.3% - Baptists, 23.3% - Catholics, 16% - those who do not share the views of any religion or adhere to individual religious ideas, finally, Protestant minorities - 7-8 % However, the denominational affiliation of American presidents is completely inconsistent with these proportions. The lion's share of them in recent US history is precisely 7-8% of the Protestant minority. Hoover and Nixon - Quakers, Eisenhower and Reagan - Presbyterians, Bush Sr., Ford, Roosevelt - Episcopal Church of England, Johnson - Church of Christ. We can talk about a certain trend. Over the past fifty years, there have been three cases where, when entering into active political activity, the future president has sharply changed religious affiliation, moving from one community to another - Eisenhower, Reagan, George W. Bush. Is it a coincidence? Judging by all these facts, a certain role of religious communities in the United States in the formation of the American political elite is quite obvious.

The third filtration institute of the USA is elite educational institutions. The first line in this series is Yale University. There, from the student's party, they form the American political elite (“ruling class”). What kind of democracy can we talk about in this case?

And what are the current mechanisms for recruiting the ruling class in Russia? We attempted to calculate the clan ratio (2009). Clan groups in the highest Russian authorities were determined by analyzing the biographies of representatives of the political elite. Detectable group matches in the personal data allowed us to make an assumption about the presence of the structures of the respective clans. A higher than 10% clan representation is considered high. As applied to the post-Soviet period, the ratings of one hundred leading Russian politicians were used to determine the political elite.

Up to one third - 33% of the representatives of the political elite in modern Russia are made up of persons whose origin or work activity is connected with Petersburg (Leningrad). The concept of the "Leningrad clan" is today quite stable in the political science literature, and is confirmed statistically in this case.
A well-known modern phenomenon is the widespread introduction of former and current representatives of the security and law enforcement agencies to the level of supreme power. Their share in the modern political elite is at an unprecedented high level, exceeding a quarter of the entire establishment - 27%.
Even more impressive is the growth of representation in the highest political power of persons whose activities were associated with banking institutions and big business. Already by 2000, it was more than a third of the Russian ruling class. Today, that figure has reached 50% of the entire establishment. Despite the reports about the victory over the oligarchic capitalism of the 1990 model, the true image of the authorities makes it possible to state the opposite trend. The financial oligarchy is today the reality of the modern functioning and co-opting of the Russian authorities.

Verification of the calculations was carried out on the staff of representatives of the Legislative Assembly. The expediency of such a check was determined by two considerations: first, the sample was increasing - up to 620 people; secondly, it was a question of a body formed democratically - through elections. If the clan structures are preserved in it, then the recipe of election does not in itself cancel the action of other undemocratic recruiting mechanisms. The assumption is clearly confirmed. The St. Petersburg group constitutes 12,9%, and representatives of state security organs - 12,3% of deputies of the Legislative Assembly. This is less than among the hundred leading politicians. But such a decrease with decreasing power in the pyramid is predictable. For comparison, the representatives of the armed forces in the Legislative Assembly - 6,9%, which is almost two times less than the "KGB" and "Mvdeshnikov." Characterized by the emergence of a new clan group - "former athletes" - 5,8%. Against the background of Russia's failure in Olympic Vancouver, their representation in power is at least unjustified. And the special position of representatives of banking institutions and large businesses is 47,9%. The figures obtained for the cohort of the hundred leading politicians at the level of the Legislative Assembly actually coincided. Today rumors about the purchase of deputy seats in the State Duma are circulating, amounts are called ... While almost every second deputy is related to banking or business activity, that is, people at least wealthy are accusing enough of this charge to be plausible. The institution of election, therefore, does not in itself fundamentally affect the elitist recruiting model. Elections today are quite manageable. Behind their screen in modern Russia are departmental and compatriot clans. But the main thing that determines the basic principle of recruiting elites in the Russian Federation is money.

Thus, it should not be about the democratization of elitogenesis, but about the creation of filtration institutions for the selection of elites in the interests of Russia. These should be value type institutions. They will replace the current financial profile filters. In this transformation lies the path to the recovery of Russian state power.
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  1. AK-47
    +1
    12 August 2013 15: 16
    Elections today are quite manageable. Behind their screen in modern Russia there are departmental and patriotic clans. But the main thing that determines the basic principle of recruiting elites in the Russian Federation is money.

    And what is interesting, they, departmental and compatriot clans, are not exterminated, because have a huge impact on the process at the legislative level.
  2. +1
    12 August 2013 15: 17
    We see where democracy led the West
  3. +5
    12 August 2013 15: 46
    Our political "elite" has turned into fat lazy cats .. The same "talking the same head" .. Where is the new staff ???
    1. Captain Vrungel
      +3
      12 August 2013 16: 18
      Explain, please, to a dumb man, what is a political elite? These are the bandits who robbed and privatized everything that came to hand, while the people from "joy" swallowed the snot of crap. These are those who plundered fabulous riches and bought (bought up) everything on which the voice fell. These are those who bought seats in the State Duma for large (stolen) money.
      Just don’t make those who are in power "honest2. Everyone has a gangster's starting capital. Conclusion. The elite are those who have big money. The political elite are those simpletons who hesitate to the beat of power.
      Do not believe in good intentions in the power of those who live. They have one general line, Multiplication and preservation of their own capital with concurrent handouts with the goal of covering their mouths. Conclusion. The political elite is the top of the clan of bandits, i.e. legalized thieves (not to be confused with thieves in law). And spit in my eyes, if from the president to the chairman of the village council, someone has not communicated something.
    2. +1
      12 August 2013 16: 34
      Quote: MIKHAN
      The same "heads talking the same" .. Where are the new shots ???

      Dear, so where do others come from, if only one Petersburg head for you the light in the window. And whatever she does, all of God's dew. Choose the main head - bear the rest.
  4. 0
    12 August 2013 16: 06
    Author: Even more impressive is the increase in the representation in the highest political power of persons whose activities were associated with banking structures and large businesses. By 2000, it was more than a third of the composition of the Russian ruling class. Today, this indicator has reached 50% of the entire establishment. Despite the reports about the victory over oligarchic capitalism of the 1990s model, the true face of power allows us to state the exact opposite trend. The financial oligarchy today is the reality of the modern functioning and co-optation of the Russian government.


    It is interesting to correlate Baghdasaryan's calculations with the results of the recent survey on our website "Assessment of State and Political Figures" (http://topwar.ru/31389-otchet-o-rezultatah-oprosa-2013-ocenka-gosudarstvenno-po
    liticheskih-deyateley.html).

    Let me remind you that, according to the respondents, the President of Russia is primarily a conductor of the interests of the state in conjunction with the interests of elite-clan groups, and only then - the interests of the people.
    1. +5
      12 August 2013 16: 16
      If this is so, then the following picture emerges: the "Leningrad clan", with the help of the "siloviks", is putting the "oligarchs" in a stall and milking them on the sly. Sour cream and cream - for yourself, milk - for corrupt government officials, and return - for the people.
      1. +2
        12 August 2013 16: 38
        Quote: Just Vasilich
        and the reverse is to the people.

        And to the way back - noodles.
        1. 0
          12 August 2013 17: 03
          Carabiner: And to the way back - noodles.

          Where without her, darling! request
  5. +1
    12 August 2013 16: 57
    Characteristic is the emergence of a new clan group - “former athletes” - 5,8%. Against the backdrop of Russia's failure in Olympic Vancouver, their representation in power, at least, is not justified.
    Some kind of stupidity. And against the background of the Universiade? And against the backdrop of London? Khorkina and Kabaev were not champions at all in skiing. And Valuev did not jump from a springboard. And here is Vancouver?
    1. +4
      12 August 2013 17: 11
      Senior citizen: Khorkina and Kabaeva were not skiing champions at all. And Valuev did not jump from a springboard.

      Krylov also noticed: "The trouble is, if the shoemaker starts to bake the pies, and the cake-maker starts the boots." It would be better if they continued to gain the authority of Russia in the sports field.
  6. +1
    12 August 2013 20: 18
    Somewhat abstractedly - that’s the State Duma in Russia, it was created many times, and always something wasn’t very good with it, putting things in order in the country ended (or began) with dispersing it. Isn’t it time it’s already, so to speak, already ....
  7. +2
    12 August 2013 20: 48
    Rhetorical question:
    “If all power is from God, then why does God always punish us like that?”


    **
    - According to the poll, almost 60% of the country's population dream of a "strong hand"!
    “What kind of weak guy is rummaging through their pockets now?”


    * * *
    - Any politicians who won the election should be immediately sent to prison.
    - What for?!
    - It saves a lot of time.
  8. +1
    12 August 2013 20: 48
    Quote: Karabin
    Quote: MIKHAN
    The same "heads talking the same" .. Where are the new shots ???

    Dear, so where do others come from, if only one Petersburg head for you the light in the window. And whatever she does, all of God's dew. Choose the main head - bear the rest.

    You won’t just dismiss the redheads and don’t shoot them off .. it’s not so simple as it seems ... They grabbed onto the body of Russia like ticks ... many have already climbed under the skin and cannot be pulled out without a scalpel .. (I’m figuratively just ..) I think I understood my thought ..
    1. 0
      13 August 2013 00: 15
      Quote: MIKHAN
      You can't just fire red

      Not just, and not for money, no one is going to fire redheads. They are not guilty, these are all vile CIA agents who are chemists. And there are more and more red ones, and less and less GDP (I figuratively ..). I think they understood my idea ..
  9. +1
    12 August 2013 21: 38
    Thanks to Vardan Baghdasaryan for opening our eyes - we still did not know that only value-type institutions can save our country, as well as the creation of institutions for the selection of elites ... Where did YOU see these elites, Mr. author These are those who work in Russia, which he calls this country, and sent his family to London a long time ago. elitist rotations. " Without such political scientists, we certainly cannot understand where to run and with whom to fight, only on them and all hope ...
  10. +1
    13 August 2013 07: 15
    Considering the model of Western democracy, I come to the conclusion that the ancient Arab proverb is true:
    "An army of sheep led by a lion will defeat an army of lions led by a sheep." lol
  11. The comment was deleted.

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