The concept of political class: A new dimension of research on elites?

Abstract

The term ‘political class’ on the European continent became a populist battle cry to express Politikverdrossenheit. The author of this contribution tries to assess the usefulness of the concept by empirical analysis. The decision‐making aspect continues to be treated under the term ‘political elite’. Political class makes sense only in those aspects by which the ruling groups stabilise their organisations (the party state) and their income as a group. The tendency to lose ground is, however, compensated by increasing responsiveness. Political class as a notion is wider than the term elite because it includes also the backbenchers. On the other hand it is narrower because the political elite comprises actors beyond government and parliament, such as administrators, media agents and interest group leaders.