Born to Rule

Thank God for Friedman and Reeves, sociologists at the LSE and Oxford University respectively, who run a superbly dispassionate scalpel through Britain’s upper crust to expose the cultural interests, political views and social origins of the 21st-century elite…[they] tell a compelling story of cultural change…[this is] a book rich in insight, data and original thought. Connoisseurs of hypocrisy and self-delusion will find much to savour too. -- James Marriott * The Times *
A very good new book…authors Aaron Reeves and Sam Friedman…have done fascinating work on the family backgrounds of current cabinet and shadow cabinet members and arrived at some remarkable findings. -- John Harris * The Guardian *
[Reeves and Friedman] describe how their country’s elites have changed since the 19th century, becoming cleverer and better at presenting themselves as ordinary. The book, flush with research, including more than 200 interviews, is superb. * The Economist *
Leaning on the historical database of Who’s Who, the mining of genealogical records and probate data as well as interviews with more than 200 figures, …[this book] is a rigorous and meticulously researched study of Britain’s elite -- Chris Newlands * Financial Times *
Through their analysis of schooling, hobbies and background from Who’s Who, a questionnaire of several thousand of its living members, and deeper interviews with several hundred more, Friedman and Reeves have built up an impressive longitudinal study of the British upper crust…[this book] is an important attempt to take the measure of our new and evolved elite…the achievement of this fascinating book should be to spark a broader reconsideration of our new ruling caste. -- Nicholas Harris * New Statesman *
Reeves and Friedman present…unarguable statistics, expertly packaged for dinner-table deployment…[this book] is ultra-quantitative yet admirably lucid. -- Pratinav Anil * Literary Review *
A remarkable and timely contribution to our understanding of the British ruling class, showing the ways in which elite reproduction has changed (or not) in the past century, and the mechanisms that these elites use to legitimise their position…one of the most important contributions to date to the study of the British elite, and more than that – by virtue of its empirical design – to the broader research agenda of elite composition and reproduction. -- Berna León * London School of Economics Review of Books *
Superb…Born to Rule…track[s] the pseudo-egalitarian drift of the modern establishment…Those in power have never been keener to signal their relatable, meritocratic credentials. -- James Marriott * The Times *
[A] timely and important book. [Reeves and Friedman] sketch the political, cultural, and economic context for their subject with skill…The great strength of this book is the diversity of angles from which the authors come at their subject…[and] the achievement here is a uniquely textured and detailed deep dive into a sociologically concrete élite. -- Gordon Pentland * Australian Book Review *
Pundits and politicians talk about ‘elites’ but rarely make a serious effort to say what or who they mean. What do we actually know about this mysterious species, other than that it flocks to cocktail parties? …[This book] is an evidence-based answer to that question and a richly interesting one…[The authors] tell a fascinating story about how our elites have changed in composition, outlook, and interests — and in how they choose to present themselves to the world. -- Ian Leslie * The Ruffian *
What on earth are you meant to do when analysing a known unknowable such as class? Aaron Reeves and Sam Friedman have come up with an arresting solution to this conundrum, by crunching 125 years of that great Bible of British snobbery—Who’s Who…[this book] is an exhilarating and revelatory picture of the British establishment…[the authors] prefer to prosecute a big argument—and hunt down every last scrap of data to test it and flesh it out. The result is a book that tells you something interesting on every page. -- Tom Clark * Prospect *
[This book] is that rarity, an academic blockbuster that is also a good read. Its appeal is partly in the subject matter: who gets to be Top…[the authors] have some interesting things to say about an inherently interesting subject, and some very interesting things to report about how they found out. -- Dean Ashenden * Inside Story *
Incorporates meticulous research in genealogical records, probate documents, databases, and more…this engaging book is a deep-dive analysis of the British elite. -- Lucy Heckman * Library Journal *
“Likely to remain an important source of material for sociologists, political scientists and policy makers for a long time because of the intense analysis and insights into an important part of society. -- Robert Shiels * Scottish Legal News *
Born to Rule is one of the most rigorous studies of elites ever written. The quantity and quality of data are breathtaking. Reeves and Friedman combine more than a century of historical records with contemporary interviews and surveys to show that while the self-conception of British elites has changed over time—from posh aristocrats to ordinary meritocrats—the pathways to elite status show remarkable stability, remaining strongly tied to family wealth and elite schooling. Born to Rule should be required reading for understanding social class and economic inequality in contemporary Britain. -- Lauren A. Rivera, author of Pedigree: How Elite Students Get Elite Jobs
The age in which we live has elevated the idea of the ‘elite’ in the public imagination to new, contested, and controversial heights. With great cogency and urgency, Reeves and Friedman show that while the idea of an elite has ancient roots, modern Britain has given it a unique and peculiar twist. This powerful and timely book sizzles with erudition and fresh scholarship, and has profound implications not just for Britain, but for ailing and ageing democracies across the world. I hope that meritocrats and members of the elite alike pay heed to its argument, no matter how discomfiting they find it. In fact, I hope it makes them question who they are. -- Amol Rajan, BBC Today programme presenter
Combining extraordinary data from Who’s Who with extensive interviews, Born to Rule gives us the most comprehensive portrait of the British elite imaginable, making it possible to see how the ruling class has and has not changed in the last 125 years. This book displays the profound value of sociological analysis, allowing us to understand classic conversations in new ways. -- Shamus Khan, author of Privilege: The Making of an Adolescent Elite at St. Paul’s School
Born to Rule is a smart and important book. The members of Who’s Who the authors interviewed proclaimed it was ‘complete rubbish’ to regard them as members of the elite and insisted on their own merit. But Reeves and Friedman meticulously demonstrate a pattern of elite reproduction, family ties, and cascading advantages from wealth. Highly readable, and highly recommended! -- Annette Lareau, author of Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life