European Elites and the Economic-Political Crisis

Abstract

The major and prolonged economic-political crisis in Europe presents elites with very serious challenges. The crisis generates significant material losses that affect large parts of European populations. At the same time, it facilitates exceptional advantages and profits, political and economic, for some elites and financial interests. The crisis requires largely unprecedented and painful decisions by elites with governing responsibilities, and their decisions tend strongly to diminish trust in the elites who take them. Above all, containing or resolving the crisis challenges accepted wisdom and requires elites to innovate. This panel invites papers assessing two main questions: (1) Will existing European elites succeed in responding to the crisis? (2) Will the elites undergo significant transformations in the process? (3) The ability of European elites to meet these challenges. (4) Are they able to produce necessary changes?

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