The Social and Political Structure of the Belarusian Elite

On February 3, 2010, at 18:00, the next meeting of the regular research seminar of the Political Sphere Institute will take place in the CSI courtyard.

Topic of the presentation: “The Social and Political Structure of the Belarusian Elite”.

Speaker: Andrei Kazakevich, discussant: Dzianis Meliantsou.

All interested persons are invited.

For additional information about the venue, please contact [email protected] (../2010/01/2009/12/16-snezhnya-2009-krytyka-belaruskaj-palitychnaj-analityki-ch-2/[email protected]).

Presentation theses:
1.

The study of the Belarusian political elite involves certain difficulties.

When defining the circle of people (positions) that should be considered part of the elite, one problem is the discrepancy between real and formal powers (functions).

To one degree or another, this is characteristic of all political systems, but in Belarus it represents a significant research problem.

The most illustrative example is the political status of Parliament.
2.

A characteristic feature of the Belarusian elite is the absence or weak institutionalization of centers of power outside state bodies.
3.

The opacity of the elite in many parameters.

In particular, the difficulty of finding information when using open sources.

This is apparently connected not with concealment, but with the lack of demand for such information, the narrowness of the information market and the infrastructure of alternative media, and relatively low interest in the details of Belarusian politics.
4.

When analyzing state structures, one can identify 500-550 positions that may be considered part of the Belarusian political elite.

Within this circle there is significant differentiation by the perimeter of political influence, as well as by functions.
5.

Methods of analysis.

The main available methods: biographical analysis and analysis of movements.

Analysis of the following parameters is of practical importance (the possibility of collecting information, usefulness of information for political analysis): gender, age, place of birth, education, career.

The most significant parameter is career analysis.
6.

Consideration of preliminary results of the analysis of the social and political structure of the Belarusian political elite.