Born To Rule: The Making and Remaking of the British Elite

Who are the British elite, and how have they evolved and changed over the past 125 years? That’s the question Reeves (sociology and social policy, Univ. of Oxford; coauthor, Ageing and Health) and Friedman (sociology, London Sch. of Economics and Political Science; coauthor, The Class Ceiling) pose in their book analyzing the British elite. Their study incorporates meticulous research in genealogical records, probate documents, databases, and more. They also interviewed 200 people and located archival material and books about historical figures. Their findings show that the British elite is mostly comprised of men—80 percent—although more women have joined their ranks over the past century; they are still overwhelmingly white. Reeves and Friedman note that British elites of bygone eras were unapologetic about their status and actively flaunted it, though their analysis shows that today’s elites strive to distance themselves from that image. An extensive list of bibliographical references is included in this fascinating study.