Theoretical and Practical Issues of Governing Elite Functioning in Russia

Based on a comparative analysis of the study of the Russian elite we consider current theoretical and practical issues related to the conditions and processes characterizing the activities of the elite. The study subjects are: clarifying the concept of “elite”, assessing the instability of the state and the presence of elements of the structural transformation of elites; revealing the features of the formation of Soviet and post-Soviet elites, the mechanisms of their renewal based on plutocracy, professionalization, consolidation of a synthetic type of mobility, readiness for change. The research focuses on understanding the elite as a social community with signs of mentality, worldview, and ideology. We reveal the role of conservative and liberal ideologies in the formation of state ideology and its significance for the Russian elite in the context of confrontation with the collective West.