Forthcoming by Routledge as part of their Studies in Social and Political Thought series, Alasdair J. Marshall's Re-Reading Pareto on Elite Power and Societal Bipolarisation: A Critical Perspective on Metapolitics and Democracy provides a timely and incisive re-examination of Vilfredo Pareto's elite theory. Here, based upon internet sites, I will detail what the book aims to do.
Drawing on Pareto's sociological insights, rooted in his major works like The Mind and Society (1916) and The Transformation of Democracy (1920), Marshall applies these concepts to dissect the intensifying divides in modern societies. The book frames contemporary "culture wars" as a metapolitical conflict between relatively liberal, individualistic elites (often characterised as "vulpine" or fox-like, emphasising cunning and change) and relatively conservative, collectivist non-elites (leonine or lion-like, prioritising force and continuity). This framework, inspired by Machiavelli's animal spirits metaphor that Pareto adapted, offers a lens for understanding power dynamics, social fragmentation, and the risks of escalating conflict in an era of populism and institutional elitism.
Marshall, an associate professor at the University of Southampton Business School with nearly 100 publications on topics ranging from Pareto's sociology to organisational risk, ethics, and culture, positions this work as a corrective to what he sees as elite-institutional biases in contemporary social sciences. By advocating a "Paretian" approach, neutral, sentiment-driven analysis over ideological rationalisations, the book not only revisits Pareto's ideas but adapts them for forecasting and mitigating societal risks. At 280 pages, including a bibliography and index, it targets academics in sociology, political science, and related fields, but its accessible style makes it relevant for broader audiences grappling with polarisation in democracies.
Marshall structures his analysis into three interconnected parts, each building on Pareto's foundational concepts while applying them to 21st-century challenges. The book emphasises Pareto's view of society as driven by "non-logical" sentiments rather than pure reason, using the lion-fox dichotomy to code friend-enemy relations in metapolitics.
Part One: A New Reading of Pareto: This foundational section delves into Pareto's core ideas, starting with an introduction commemorating the 2023 centenary of his death. Marshall explores metapolitical conflicts between liberal elites ("anywheres" focused on individualism and humanitarianism) and conservative non-elites ("somewheres" emphasising nationalism and solidarity). He traces Pareto's intellectual debt to Machiavelli, detailing the animal spirits metaphor, lions representing forceful, conservative traits and foxes embodying sly, liberal strategies. Chapters cover Pareto's dissident mindset, a "projection-adjusted" reading to counter biases, and the core theory of mind-society interaction, where sentiments shape social actions. Marshall positions Paretian sociology as critical guidance for elites, introducing (meta)political character types to analyse how biases infiltrate research and politics.
Part Two: Pareto's Open Elites: Here, Marshall argues for the contemporary relevance of Pareto's elite theory, advocating "open elites" as a mechanism to bridge societal divides. He examines Pareto's elites as inevitable rulers whose character deteriorates over time due to success, leading to vices like greed and manipulation. Chapters discuss elite power's resistance to bottom-up challenges, various elite categories (e.g., political and counter-elites), and the social character that fuels bipolarisation. Marshall contrasts "open elites," those mixing liberal and conservative sentiments for balanced governance, with "open societies," warning that elite closure exacerbates conflicts. This part culminates in a nascent Paretian theory of democracy, emphasising authenticity and openness to prevent demagogic plutocracy, where elites manipulate masses through sentiment-driven fraud.
Part Three: A Forward-Looking Theory: The concluding section shifts to predictive application, using Pareto's framework as a "risk imagination" for social forecasting. Marshall models societal bipolarisation through concepts like a "difference engine" for recurring elite-non-elite conflicts and a "risk barometer" for gauging escalation toward fundamental violence. He revisits Pareto's final warning on demagogic plutocracy, explores conflict containment in lower elite echelons, and ends with a metaphorical nod to the "lion" as a symbol of untamed conservative forces. The general conclusion ties these threads together, urging a balanced Paretian lens to foster safer democracies amid growing instability.
From an anti-elite vantage point, Marshall's book shines as a nuanced indictment of power structures, portraying elites not as benevolent stewards but as tragic figures whose success breeds ethical decay and societal harm. By framing culture wars as sentiment-fuelled metapolitics, it empowers non-elite voices to scrutinise elite manipulations, such as through global institutions that prioritise liberal agendas over populist concerns. The call for "open elites" resonates as a pragmatic push for transparency, inclusivity, and accountability, potentially disrupting entrenched dynamics that marginalise conservative sentiments.
Yet, critics might argue that Marshall's heavy reliance on Pareto's early 20th-century framework overlooks evolving complexities, such as intersectional identities, digital disinformation, or global economic interdependencies that transcend simple lion-fox binaries. For instance, Pareto's elitism, even when descriptive, could inadvertently justify hierarchies rather than dismantle them, and the "open elites" concept might seem idealistic, insufficient against systemic barriers like wealth inequality or media control. Additionally, while Marshall critiques academic biases, his own positioning as a university professor invites questions about inherent elite perspectives in his analysis. In a broader sense, the book's predictive elements, while provocative, risk overgeneralisation, assuming sentiment primacy without fully integrating empirical data from modern psychology or big data analytics.
Overall, the work invites deeper debate on whether Pareto's "neutral" sociology truly escapes the metapolitical biases it critiques, especially in polarised contexts like post-Brexit Britain or U.S. elections.
Alasdair J. Marshall's Re-Reading Pareto on Elite Power and Societal Bipolarisation likely will stand as a compelling, forward-thinking resource that revitalises Pareto's ideas for dissecting and addressing societal fractures. By blending historical sociology with contemporary risk analysis, it not only illuminates the mechanics of elite dominance but also proposes pathways toward more resilient democracies. For scholars, policymakers, and engaged citizens navigating cultural divides, this book may foster critical reflection and discussion, underscoring the enduring relevance of Pareto's realist lens in an increasingly bipolar world.