Geburt oder Leistung? /
Birth or Talent?

The elite and their social role is a question of central importance in European history. This is confirmed not least by the growing public interest in this topic. The history of Great Britain and Germany has shown in quite different ways how the elites have faced the challenges of the modern age. On 13 and 14 September 2002 the 21st conference of the Prince Albert Society took place, where historical and current aspects of the history of the elite, their survival strategies, their failures and their resistance were considered from both British and German perspectives. Birth or Talent?, Volume 21 of the Prince Albert Studies documents the contributions that were presented at this conference. Twelve historians from Great Britain, Germany and the United States investigate over a huge time span – from the 16th century to the present – the elite in the church, military, economy, diplomacy and in the educational sector. The strong current interest in this topic is also evident in the panel discussion. Starting with the historical relationships between both countries, the growing similarity in living conditions, not only in the economy but above all in the education system, is discussed.