Born to Rule: The Making and Remaking of the British Elite

You can approach this book in several ways:

(1) as an ADMIRATION of more than a century of British institutions’ craftsmanship in forging an elite class—a testament to their enduring legacy;

(2) as a detailed MANUAL for understanding the mechanics of a system that continues to shape leadership in Britain; or

(3) as a CRITIQUE of an outdated model that, while producing elites, has also given Brexit (a choice its architects can afford to endure with little consequence).

I’ve chosen the latter—because, let’s face it, criticizing is easier and often more entertaining to read—but my sole purpose here is to encourage you to read it.

Imagine a world where privilege flows as naturally as afternoon tea, where elite schools are assembly lines for power, and where even the wealthiest aristocrat swears they’re “just like you.” Welcome to Born to Rule, a razor-sharp exploration of Britain’s ruling class that pairs scholarly rigor with a wicked sense of humor.

Not a Bestseller’s Soundbite—and Better for It

This isn’t a Gladwell-esque romp or a Ferguson-style grand narrative. Reeves and Friedman deliver something weightier: a forensic journey through 125 years of British social stratification, using the Who’s Who directory as their evidence locker. By tracing the lives of its illustrious entries, they expose a truth everyone suspected but few dared articulate: Britain’s elite is a finely tuned machine of inherited privilege. Yet the book tempers its sobering revelations with sly wit and absurd anecdotes, making the history lesson not just digestible but delicious.

Class Engineering 101: Private Schools and Oxbridge

The book doesn’t merely document privilege—it dissects it. Eton, Harrow, and St. Paul’s are revealed as conveyor belts feeding Oxbridge, which in turn feeds Westminster, the City, and the BBC. The statistics sting: while private schools educate just 10% of British students, they dominate the admissions rolls of top universities, especially Oxbridge. Meritocracy? Think again.

The authors even dare to suggest replacing Oxbridge’s admissions process with a lottery. Imagine the scene: “Sorry, Hugo, this year we picked someone from Hull.”

The Irony of Elitist Egalitarianism

Where Born to Rule really sparkles is its exploration of how the elite mask their privilege. MPs list “beer-drinking” in Who’s Who as if a pint of lager could erase generations of wealth. CEOs drop their H’s in interviews to appear more “relatable.” The authors dub this charade “elite masquerading,” and it’s as convincing as Boris Johnson doing yoga for the cameras.

The BBC: High Culture, Higher Gatekeeping

The BBC isn’t spared either. Ostensibly a beacon of accessibility, it has long served as a bastion of cultural elitism. From Shakespeare to ballet, it curates Britain’s cultural canon—but always with a velvet-rope sensibility. As the authors cheekily note, its mission isn’t so much to democratize Shakespeare as to ensure you know who’s in charge of Shakespeare.

Why You’ll Love It (and Learn From It)

For those curious about how privilege perpetuates itself, Born to Rule is essential reading. It’s as thought-provoking as it is entertaining, blending humor with hard truths. Along the way, the authors deliver anecdotes that are equal parts tragic and ridiculous:

• Politicians proudly listing “beer-drinking” as a hobby.
• An Eton headmaster apologizing for his school’s role in producing leaders like Boris Johnson (no, really).
• Virginia Woolf moonlighting as a taste-maker for Britain’s cultural elite.

A Global Question

As you devour this tale of British privilege, you can’t help but wonder: what about America’s Ivy Leagues, France’s grandes écoles, or Germany’s aristocracy? The genius of Born to Rule is that it doesn’t just illuminate British elitism—it sparks curiosity about how power is passed down elsewhere.

If the idea of Oxbridge as a finishing school for privilege—and the occasional Etonian lament about it—doesn’t hook you, nothing will. Read it, reflect on it, and rethink everything you thought you knew about meritocracy.

Born to Rule: The Making and Remaking of the British Elite

By Aaron Reeves and Sam Friedman

Please visit my site with the original article:

https://www.kruk.ch/post/born-to-rule-the-making-and-remaking-of-the-british-elite