The Worldviews of Elites

Differences Between Inheritors and Newcomers

Bibliographic Data

ID19213627
AuthorsGabriel Otero (0000-0001-9768-5699, Diego Portales University, corresponding author)
Year2026
Publication date2026-05-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBritish Journal of Sociology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0007-1315 • E-ISSN: 1468-4446
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1468-4446.70122
PMID42070229
OpenAlexW7159963002
LanguageEN
References cited65

The main goal of this paper is to examine variations in the political attitudes of elites in Chile concerning two key dimensions: socioeconomic attitudes (concerning redistribution, taxation, and state provision of services) and sociocultural attitudes (concerning immigration, LGBTQ+ rights, gender equality, and democratic values). I propose a framework that underscores the potential impact of the source of elite power-whether economic, political, or cultural-in shaping differences in political attitudes. Additionally, I suggest that patterns of intergenerational persistence and mobility (e.g., being born into an elite family) may contribute to variations in attitudes among elite individuals. To test the study's expectations, I use survey data collected between 2019 and 2020 from a sample of 416 individuals belonging to Chile's economic, political, and cultural elites. Using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), findings reveal substantial variation in political attitudes among elite individuals, with socioeconomic and sociocultural orientations strongly aligned. Explanatory analyses using multivariate regression models reveal that variations in attitudes among elite individuals are largely shaped by their elite type and social origins, with members of the economic elite and those from elite origins displaying the most conservative and inegalitarian views on both dimensions. Moreover, significant attitudinal tensions are observed between inheritors and newcomers, not only across the elites as a whole but also within the economic, political, and cultural elite groups

Democracy · Elite · Politics · Social class · Sociocultural evolution · Socioeconomic status · Survey data collection · Cultural Differences and Values · Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies · Social and Cultural Dynamics

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