Elite overproduction
Elite overproduction is a concept developed by Peter Turchin, which describes the condition of a society which is producing too many potential elite-members relative to its ability to absorb them into the power structure.[1][2][3] This, he hypothesizes, is a cause for social instability, as those left out of power feel aggrieved by their relatively low status.[1][2][3] Turchin said that this situation explained social disturbances during the late Roman empire and the French Wars of Religion, and predicted that this situation would cause social unrest in the US during the 2020s.[4]
Elite overproduction has been cited as a root cause of some political tension in the US, as structural racism and other injustices are invoked to explain why so many well-educated Millennials are underemployed or otherwise not achieving the status that the narrative of a meritocracy taught them was the expected outcome.[4]
See also
References
- ^ a b "Too many Americans who perceive themselves to be elites are chasing too few positions". National Review. 2020-07-14. Retrieved 2020-08-23.
- ^ a b Turchin, Peter. "Blame Rich, Overeducated Elites as Society Frays". Bloomberg.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Turchin, Peter (2013). "Modeling Social Pressures Toward Political Instability". Cliodynamics. 4 (2). doi:10.21237/C7clio4221333.
- ^ a b Packer, George (2021-06-08). "How America Fractured Into Four Parts". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2021-06-10.
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