ABSTRACT
Elite conduct of the debate deeply influences public perceptions of reality. The political and economic elites that have power to make strategic decisions thus bear responsibility for the direction of the Slovak Republic. An explanation for Slovakia’s democratic deficit must therefore be found in the configuration and attitudes of the national elite. While Slovakia possesses strong elements of traditionalism and paternalism, the same can be said about its neighbours. The origin of the current disunity among Slovakia’s elite is thus to be found in the problem of statehood and, to a lesser extent, ethnic diversity. Slovak elites, however, remain highly differentiated - increasing the chances that pacts and balances of power can be achieved that will maintain democratic practice in the face of fundamentally competing world views. An industrial elite lobbying the Government scuttled mass privatisation in 1995 and provided industrialists with significant influence in subsequent privatisation decisions.
