{{Short description|Notion that elites deserve more influence}}
{{Redirect|Elitist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
'''Elitism''' is the notion that individuals who form an [[elite]]—a select group with desirable qualities such as [[intellect]], [[wealth]], [[Power (social and political)|power]], fame, [[physical attractiveness]], notability, special [[skill]]s, [[experience]], [[Nobility|lineage]]—are more likely to be constructive to society and deserve greater influence or authority.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/elitist|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925233306/https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/elitist|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 25, 2016|title=elitist {{!}} Definition of elitist in English by Oxford Dictionaries|website=Oxford Dictionaries {{!}} English|access-date=March 4, 2019}}</ref> The term ''elitism'' may be used to describe a situation in which power is concentrated in the hands of a limited number of people. Beliefs that are in opposition to elitism include [[egalitarianism]], [[anti-intellectualism]] (against powerful institutions perceived to be controlled by elites), [[populism]], and the [[political theory]] of [[Pluralism (political theory)|pluralism]].

[[Elite theory]] is the sociological or political science analysis of elite influence in society: elite theorists regard pluralism as a [[utopian ideal]]. Elitism is closely related to [[social class]] and what [[sociologist]]s term "[[social stratification]]". In modern [[Western world|Western societies]], social stratification is typically defined in terms of three distinct social classes: the [[upper class]], the [[middle class]], and the [[Working class|lower class]].<ref name="Saunders1990">{{cite book | author-link=Peter Robert Saunders | url=https://archive.org/details/socialclassstrat0000saun | url-access=registration | title=Social Class and Stratification | publisher=Routledge | last=Saunders | first=Peter | year=1990 | isbn=978-0-415-04125-6}}</ref>

==Characteristics==
Elitists tend to favor social systems such as [[Technocracy (bureaucratic)|technocracy]], combined with [[meritocracy]] and/or [[plutocracy]], as opposed to political [[egalitarianism]] and [[populism]]. Elitists believe only a few "movers and shakers" truly change society, rather than the majority of people who only vote and elect the elites into power.<ref>{{cite web|title=Elite (elitist) theory|url=http://www.auburn.edu/~johnspm/gloss/elite_theory|website=auburn.edu|publisher=Auburn University|access-date=13 August 2014}}</ref>

==See also==

{{Wikiquote-inline}}
{{Wiktionary-inline|elitism}}{{portal|Society|Politics|Philosophy}}

{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
* [[Aporophobia]]
* [[Bourgeoisie]]
* [[Caste]]
* [[Classism]]
* [[Collective narcissism]]
* [[Exclusivism]]
* [[Global elite]]
* [[International Debutante Ball]]
* [[Ivory tower]]
* [[Leet]]
* [[Narcissism]]
* [[Oligarchy]]
* [[Populism]]
* [[Rankism]]
* [[Sectarianism]]
* [[Self-righteousness]]
* [[Snobbery]]
* [[Social Darwinism]]
* ''[[Social Evolution]]''
* [[Supremacism]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Discrimination}}
{{Political philosophy}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Social groups]]
[[Category:Political science]]
[[Category:Ideologies]]
[[Category:Oligarchy]]
[[Category:Political terminology]]
[[Category:Social theories]]
[[Category:Prejudices]]
[[Category:Elite theory]]
[[Category:Psychological attitude]]