The Rise of the Intelligentsia

This study eventually will consist of three related parts. The first deals with grand changes in economic, political and social leadership in Western society since the classical days. This part concerns the changes from the classical dominance of a group of leaders called the Gentry. These gave way in the Vth century of our era to the Churchmen. After long rule by the Churchmen to the XVth century, the reins of leadership passed to the Mercantilists or business groups. The Mercantilists reached the apogee of their power in the XIXth century. Since then these have been and are being replaced by a new group, here called the Intelligentsia.