Debating points of the theory of political elites

Despite the fact that elite groups are a top priority for modern Russian political science, the term ‘elite’, the relevant concepts, and their applicability remain the focus of political debates. The research discusses the pressing issues of using a variety of methodological approaches. The first challenge concerns the semantic and substantive aspects of the category of elite and its proper scientific application. The second one relates to the analysis of the identification criteria for the political elite, the advantages and disadvantages of various quota-based options for entering the political elite, and the theoretical and methodological tools suitable for their justification. The third issue deals with the development of the objective metrics to assess the quality and efficiency of the political elite.