Gaetano Mosca

Gaetano Mosca (1858-1941) was an Italian political scientist, journalist, and public official, best known for his contributions to elite theory and political sociology. He argued that in all societies, a small, organized minority, which he referred to as the 'political class,' monopolizes power and uses various mechanisms to maintain its dominance over the majority. His seminal work, 'The Ruling Class,' elaborates on how this elite legitimizes its privileges through established norms and practices, emphasizing the importance of understanding the structures of power in any political system.