Anatomy of Eminence: French Liberalism and the Question of Elites (The Politics of Historical Thinking, 3) by Daniel Rosenberg

Despite its prominence in public discourse, the notion of elites
remains a highly contested and ambiguous part of modern political
discourse. This monograph rehabilitates the idea of elites and gives
it a solid theoretical footing, while relating it with the historical
development of liberal thought in the west. The analysis offered in
the book concentrates on the tradition of liberal political thought in
France, which has consistently tackled the question of the elites,
their role in society, and the process of their formation. Combining
theoretical insights with practical wisdom, French liberal thinkers
have seen the elite as an indispensable social category and as a
vehicle for the development of human liberty. In their different
prescriptive doctrines, French liberal thinkers have sought to
reconcile the emergence of social elites with the requirements of
social and political equality, as well as with the ongoing
modernization of mores and institutions. The monograph offers a
unique contribution to scholarship in modern political thought by
engaging analytically with the notion of elites, as well as by
offering a structured discussion on the historical development of
liberalism in France.