It was a long time since I´ve read a French-language essay, by Pierre Birnbaum, about the circulation of elites. His latest, Où va l´Etat. Essai sur les nouvelles élites du pouvoir published in 2018 by Seuil was an easy yet informative read on the changes underwent lately by the French elites.
Despite the general tone, the book has to do with France - and only France. Birnbaum is a writer I used to quote often during my SciPo university classes and actually I was partially agreeing with his methods and conclusions. His researches are following the sociological methods integrated into a perspective of the historian of the state and I appreciate the mix of research perspectives and methods.
The analysis of Birnbaum starts with the raise to power of president Macron and inferrs further that the French state is currently under threat by the private sector, whose representative the current resident of the Elysée is.
Long before Macron administration, the traditional path of circulation of elites - mostly via the Ecole Normale Supèrieure (ENA), the classical network of political representatives both at the local and central level - began to erode. Nowadays, according to Birnbaum whose analysis is based on research of professional CVs of the power representatives, the percentage of people belonging to the economic environment is over 50%. Besides a statistical account of persons, this challenge means that concepts of public management are entering the French political space which may on the long term challenge France with the concepts of the American society ´ouverte à tous les vents au monde du privé´. Besides the French existential fears when confronted with the American interference, Birnbaum also fears a higher occurence of corruption and he brings as arguments the increased frequency of mismanagement of public funds by political representatives from the last decade. The next effect of such changes may be the weakening of the state and the threat of populism.
I personally use this method of professional CV analysis when it comes to identify patterns and trends among elites. It is the easiest way to read the changes taking place within a society as well as the old and emerging centers of power.
However, only this approach is not enough for understanding a complex political system. For instance, Birnbaum´s analysis does not mention the fact that Macron won the power based on the support of a political party newly created. The essay does not have in any case any analysis about the situation of the current political party which is a pity for the overall evaluation of the situation.
On the other hand, the fact that the traditional channels of power created by the selection of elites via ENA, for instance, is becoming obsolete is not necessarily a bad news as competition to this channel can offer more diversity and opportunities for the state configuration.
Personally, I would have expect more than an essay about the new French elites, but I promise to return with more French analysis about the current system and its challenges, especially at the level of the intellectual elites.
Rating: 3 stars
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