Political Science

The word elite from a political perspective refer to a group of people within the society possessing special privileges. The term has been continually used to signify authority and according to Michael Parenti, a political scientist, the largest cultural group contains an elite set among them who shapes the groups political activities.

Explain the origins of the SinoSoviet split
The Sino-Soviet split occurred as a result of continuing worsening of relationships between China and the Soviet Union during the cold war (1945-91). The split can be traced back in 1940s when the Chinese communist party whose leader was Mao Zedong entered a war of resistance against Japan while still engaging in Chinese Civil War against nationalist Kuomintang (Ellison, 1982). Mao refused to listen to the political and military advice from Stalin and went ahead to group the peasants and farmers to fight in the Chinese war. Stalin supported the Chinese communist party with funds and military alliance which led to the signing of Sino-soviet treaty of friendship and alliance (1950).
   
After Stalins death premier Khrushchev denounced most of his works and ideologies, a condition which had led to the signing of the treaty and alliance with china. The split in ideologies thus begun in 1959. Moreover, the tension between America and Russian was eliminated after the U.S. president visited Russia in 1961. During the Sino Indian war, Russia sided with India, a factor which humiliated Mao. Both leaders quarreled openly during the 1961 Romanian congress leading to Khrushchev denouncing china in an eighty page letter. Come 1962 Russia withdrew all its technical support from china and formally severed relations due to their open disagreements (Ellison, 1982). In the 1970s, the rivalry culminated to the two countries supporting and arming different political parties in Africa and in the middle east  
             
After Gorbachev was elected USSR as the president in 1985, calmed the tension  by reducing his military concentration along the Chinese border. By1989, the tension had faded after the dissolution of the USSR.