Elite as a system element of national security

Элита как системный элемент национальной безопасности

David K. Grigoryan (Григорян Д.К.)
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David K. Grigoryan (Григорян Д.К.): Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, South-Russian Institute of Management; Rostov Law Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia

State and Municipal Management Scholar Notes, 2026, vol. 1, 134-143

Abstract: Introduction. The article examines the role of the quality of political elites as a key factor in the sustainability of national security in the context of modern internal and external challenges. It analyzes the phenomenon of elite positioning, the mechanisms of elite recruitment and rotation, as well as their institutional, value-based, and communicative foundations. Special attention is given to the relationship between the professional competence, moral responsibility of the elite, and the ability of the state to achieve strategic development and self-preservation. Purpose. To determine the role of the political elite as a system-forming element of national security, to identify the mechanisms of its influence on the stability of the state, and to substantiate the key institutional, axiological, and communicative factors that determine the quality and effectiveness of the elite corps in the context of modern threats. Methods. The methodological basis of the study was based on a structural-functional analysis to determine the role of the elite in the system of power; an institutional approach to analyze the mechanisms of recruitment and rotation; an axiological analysis to identify the value foundations of the elite's positioning; and a comparative method to compare classical and modern concepts of elites. Results. It was established that the institutional organization of the elite directly determines the ability of the government to maintain strategic continuity and prevent managerial degradation. The study reveals that the more transparent and formalized these mechanisms are, the lower the risks of nepotism, corruption, and dysfunction in public institutions. Additionally, the findings demonstrate that the value-normative foundation of the elite plays a crucial role in ensuring political stability. A high level of moral responsibility, strategic orientation, and commitment to public service enhances the resilience of the system, while the erosion of moral guidelines leads to an increase in the state's internal vulnerability. Taken together, the research findings confirm that the quality of the elite can be considered an integral indicator of national security: the higher the professional, value-based, and communicative competence of the elite, the more stable the functioning of political institutions and the greater the state's ability to adapt to modern threats. Conclusions. The article proves that the political elite is a system-forming element of national security, as it provides strategic management, institutional stability, and the alignment of public interests. The effectiveness of the elite is determined by a combination of three factors: institutional organization, value-normative stability, and the quality of communication with society. A balanced interaction of these components strengthens state stability, while their dysfunction leads to a loss of legitimacy, managerial degradation, and an increase in internal threats. It has been established that transparent recruitment and rotation mechanisms, a well-developed training system, and a focus on meritocratic principles reduce the risks of nepotism and corruption. The quality of the elite can be considered a key indicator of national security: the higher its professional, moral, and communicative competence, the more stable and adaptable the state becomes.

Keywords: authority; elite; political class; national security; legitimacy; elite positioning; elite rotation; institutional stability; political institutions; elite formation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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