A synthesis focusing on individuals rather than groups—a small set of ultra-wealthy, well-connected people (like certain billionaire financiers or media moguls) who, through discreet salons, private islands, and philanthropic networks, form a social class that operates above national loyalties to shape policy, culture, and markets for their own benefit. They are "secret" not because no one knows their names, but because the true extent and coordination of their influence is hidden.
Example: The annual Bilderberg Meeting, a private conference of Western elites, is often cited as evidence for the Theory of Secret Power Elites. While attendees are known, the closed-door discussions are not. The theory holds that consensuses formed there later manifest as policy across multiple governments, regardless of which party is publicly in power.
by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal February 4, 2026
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