ABSTRACT
Studies on democratization argue that successful changes of political systems were precipitated by the historical choices of political elites (Higley and Burton 2006). 1 Furthermore, elite recruitment patterns and the existing institutional framework are two of the most important factors influencing political development (Seligman 1964; Best and Cotta 2000). The composition of elites reflects the power distribution in a given society (Putnam 1976: 166), while the structure of opportunities shapes the political behavior of parliamentarians, and the career paths of elites within political institutions.
