A volume in The M.I.T. Studies in Comparative Politics Series, The Emerging Elite is the first intensive study of the political leadership of any South Asian country. The assessment was undertaken through an analysis of historical data to determine traditional leadership patterns and through evaluation of attitudinal and biographical data on every individual to have held national political office in Ceylon since 1924.
In many ways, Ceylon may be considered a case study illustrative of the kind of change that is occurring within the political elites of a great many of the newly independent countries of Asia and Afirca. While the data of this study is exclusively Ceylonese, the implications to be drawn from its evaluation are not. The major focus of the book is the manner in which traditional patterns of political leadership and twentieth century values blend to produce a new type of honored public behavior.
The cultural anthropologist, political scientist, sociologist, social scientist, and area study specialist will find this book of importance.
