<P> In political science and sociology, elite theory is a theory of the state which seeks to describe and explain the power relationships in contemporary society . The theory posits that a small minority, consisting of members of the economic elite and policy - planning networks, holds the most power and that this power is independent of a state's democratic elections process . Through positions in corporations or on corporate boards, and influence over the policy - planning networks through financial support of foundations or positions with think tanks or policy - discussion groups, members of the "elite" are able to exert significant power over the policy decisions of corporations and governments . An example of this can be found in the Forbes magazine article (published in December 2009) entitled The World's Most Powerful People, in which Forbes purported to list the 67 most powerful people in the world (assigning one "slot" for each 100,000,000 of human population). The basic characteristics of this theory are that power is concentrated, the elites are unified, the non-elites are diverse and powerless, elites interests are unified due to common backgrounds and positions and the defining characteristic of power is institutional position . </P> <P> Even when entire groups are ostensibly completely excluded from the state's traditional networks of power (historically, on the basis of arbitrary criteria such as nobility, race, gender, or religion), elite theory recognizes that "counter-elites" frequently develop within such excluded groups . Negotiations between such disenfranchised groups and the state can be analyzed as negotiations between elites and counter-elites . A major problem, in turn, is the ability of elites to co-opt counter-elites . </P>

Who holds power in elite and class theory