BANGER OF THE WEEK: The Sociology of Elites

Easily one of the most impressive reads of an academic nature that I've read, this work goes into the various elitist systems that propagate in the USA, France, Britain, Germany and even Japan. There is, of course, a common thread that connects them - and that is the greasy boat-rope of tertiary and preparatory education, to nobody's surprise.

The system of Grande Ecoles in France and the old-boy network that is built by these, robber-baron era dynasties and much else is examined, but I would mostly look at the thorough history of studying elitism. Observations made by minds such as Le Bon, Mosca and others square quite well with the modern research and weave a great picture.

Understanding that there is no possible system in which there is not an elite is probably the most important insight one can gain from this read, and it is entirely natural to feel no small amount of dismay as one does. Definitely a book that improves the reader's awareness of facts, as well as offering a new systemic way of thinking about elitism. As such, I must award this book the title of BANGER OF THE WEEK.
10/10