Elites

All political movements, including socialists and communists, govern though elites. Socialist and communist elites are the workers skilled in collaboration, administration, socialist and communist theory, and the social and political skills to communicate effectively with, mobilize, and authentically represent the proletariat. Euphemisms such as avant-garde, cadres, leaders, and functionaries are often used by socialists and communists to describe elites. Lenin used "professional revolutionary."

John Higley
John Higley played a central role in classifying elites and developing a theory of elites.

External links and further reading
Best, H. (2010). The Formation of Socialist Elites in the GDR: Continuities with National Socialist Germany/Sozialistische Elitenbildung in der DDR: Kontinuitätsstränge zum nationalsozialistischen Deutschland. Historical Social Research / Historische Sozialforschung, 35(3 (133)), 36-46. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/25758836