Features of the intellectual elite

The article discusses the issues of terminological designation of the intellectual elite, its composition, structure, and some variants of typology. We have analyzed a number of features of the intellectual elite, such as the lack of power resources or the optionality of access to the instruments of power, the type of relationship between the intellectual elite and the authorities, the importance of communicative competencies, creativity, the ability to innovate, the mission of careful comprehension of the essence and meaning of existence, allowing the intellectual elite to determine the goals of social development, and development of the fundamental values that contribute to the spiritual elevation of society. The article raises the question about the individual responsibility of a representative of the intellectual elite, his civic position, which make actual the problem of the moral aspects of his activities. A high level of moral culture is an optional rather than a mandatory feature of representatives of the intellectual elite. We have interpreted the concept of a moral elite, in which the sign of elitism is correlated with the criteria of morality. The moral elite includes many outstanding representatives of the intellectual elite of the past and present.