TRANSITION UNDER ELTSIN - THE NOMENKLATURA AND POLITICAL ELITE CIRCULATION

It is contended that study of 'the nomenklatura' is a poor indicator o f elite change in post-communist society; that current analysis of the 'nomenklatura as political elite' is inconclusive and methodologicall y unsound; that neither a 'circulation' nor a 'reproduction' of politi cal elites can be determined from the reproduction of the 'old nomenkl atura'. While the nomenklatura was not unitary, not monolithic and not a political elite, it is considered-following Mosca - to be a politic al class with different political constituencies. It is argued that th e values and outlook of elites are crucial in understanding the extent of political change. Moreover, the paradigm of elite change should be analysed in terms of elite differentiation, political values, politic al culture and ideological affinity. Based on original interview resea rch with members of the Gorbachev and Eltsin political Elites, it is s hown that the elite structure is unstable and divided and political ou tcomes are likely to be authoritarian.