# America has always been drawn to an unelected elite. Meet the courtier class | Nancy Isenberg

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/america-has-always-been-drawn-to-an-unelected-elite-meet-the-courtier-class-nancy-isenberg/
- Published: 2026-11-03T14:00:43+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-06T11:07:46+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/nov/03/courtier-class-us-aristocracy
- Topics: Americas, Politics, World

## Key points

- America’s power brokers have deep historical roots.
- Courtiers used charm and connections to influence leaders.
- The essay draws a line to today’s wealthy insiders.

## Summary

The article argues that America’s unelected power brokers are not a new phenomenon. Historian Nancy Isenberg describes them as a “courtier class”: influential figures who use social skills, persuasion and access to shape decisions made by elected leaders. Their continued presence, she says, shows how American political culture has long accommodated an informal elite alongside its republican ideals.

The essay traces this role from the Revolutionary era, when figures such as Alexander Hamilton admired polished political operators and built influence through relationships with leaders including George Washington. John Adams, by contrast, criticised courtiers as flatterers seeking favour and advancement. Isenberg links these historical networks to modern concerns about wealthy and connected insiders, including the so-called “Epstein class”.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.