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The global elite of power
Author(s) -
Miroslav Pečujlić
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
zbornik matice srpske za društvene nauke/zbornik matice srpske za društvene nauke
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2406-0836
pISSN - 0352-5732
DOI - 10.2298/zmsdn0315093p
Subject(s) - elite , globalization , power (physics) , national power , politics , political economy , sociology , political science , law , physics , quantum mechanics
In this paper, the author discusses contradictions in the contemporary process of globalization related to its current proponents (participants). The first part of the papers tries to solve the enigma of the key participants and social forces shaping the globalization, so it discusses the tree rival theories: the theory of classes, oligarchy and elite of power. The author chooses the third theory of the global elite of power. Its theoretical foundations range from classic theories of elite (Pareto Mosca, Weber) to Mill's famous elite of power. However, the trans-national elite of power is an entirely new social entity. The global elite of power is firmly established in the economic sphere, in the ownership and management of global means of production and capital, and in the use of global labor force. It is characterized by a highly articulated status culture or "class consciousness" - the cosmopolitan "Davos-culture". It represents more a network of groups than one monolithic entity, so it should be discussed synthetically. The second part analyses a collective portrait of the global elite of power in which the outstanding place is occupied by the owners and top managers of trans-national corporations and banks (whose capital highly surpasses the wealth of many countries in the world) together with them, there is the political elite (the leaders of the G-7 Group and the rulers of the trans-national organizations like MMF, World Bank, Security Council of the UN,NATO). The intellectual elite, like "The Trilateral Committee" or "Economic Forum" occupies a less conspicuous, but not insignificant place. The third part discuses the current role of the dominant (authoritarian) wing of the global elite of power, and the fourth points to the alternative possibilities and potential participants in the democratization of the global world order. The concluding, fifth part points to the historical situation in which the democratic alternative although necessary, is almost powerless. Due to the un-intended consequences of the activities of the global elite of power, future of the world society is quite uncertain

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