Institutionalization of civilizational selection of elites in modern Russia: from a doctrinal request to operational mechanisms

Abstract

Introduction. The article is devoted to the problem of the transformation of the elite-forming process in modern Russia in the context of the transition from the model of socio-political transit to the strategy of state-civilizational sovereignty. Based on the theoretical provisions developed within the framework of the civilizational approach to the analysis of elites, as well as on the empirical data that fix the gap between the doctrinal request and the actual state of the ruling groups, the authors propose a conceptual model of the institutionalization of civilizational selection. The paper substantiates the system of operational indicators of the civilizational viability of the elites, describes the procedural logic of their application, and analyzes the key risks of implementing the proposed approach.The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual model for the institutionalization of civilizational elite selection in modern Russia, which ensures a transition from a doctrinal request for civilizational sovereignty to operational mechanisms for selecting, evaluating, and reproducing political elites, as well as to identify key risks and conditions for the effective implementation of this approach.Methodological framework. The study is based on a civilizational approach and the principle of subjectivity, in which the elite-forming process is viewed as determined by the historical and cultural matrix of society, and the key importance is given to the personal and value characteristics of the ruling groups. The study uses methods of theoretical analysis, comparative study of foreign practices (China, Iran, and Turkey), and processing of empirical data from an expert survey conducted in 2024.Results. The study revealed a significant gap between the doctrinal request for Russia's civilizational sovereignty and the actual state of the political elites (only 10% of experts gave a positive assessment). A system of seven operational indicators for the civilizational viability of the elites was developed, along with a three-tier selection process that includes filtering, diagnostics, and peer review. A comparative analysis of China, Iran, and Turkey's experiences demonstrated that civilizational selection is effective only when there is a balance between the value identification and professional competence of the elites.Conclusions. The article proves that the civilizational selection of elites requires operational indicators and institutionalization while maintaining a balance with professionalism.