In this essay some factors are suggested that seem relevant to the study of political elites. It would be premature to title this section a research scheme, but it is the foundation upon which such a scheme could be developed. The assumption underlying the following presentation is: for many reasons, particularly because of the complexity of social organization, some individuals and groups are more influential in political decision making than others. These individuals and groups make up the political elite. The relationship of individuals and groups within the elite, as well as the relationship of the elite to the nonelite, vary from state to state and from situation to situation. Since the elite shapes the structure and decisions of a state or polity, an understanding of the structure and behavior of the elite is crucial to an understanding of the policy.