“The Role of Elites in Emerging Societies, or How Established Elites Deal with an Emerging Society: The Case of Business Elites in Contemporary Chile”

This contribution studies elites in an emerging society using Chile as an example. It looks at the reactions of established elites to the emergence of new social forces and movements. These elites are challenged by rising middle classes, democratization and transnationalization at the same time. They have four possibilities to cope with the challenges: adaptation, learning, reconversion and isolation. The paper investigates the strategies chosen by Chilean elites.