The Dynamics of Political Elite Regeneration Among Young DPRD Chairs in South Sulawesi

Abstract

The emergence of young DPRD chairpersons in South Sulawesi reflects a new dynamic in the regeneration of local political elites, yet their rise does not necessarily indicate meritocratic political recruitment. This study aims to analyze how economic, social, and political capital influence the election of young DPRD chairpersons in Gowa, Maros, Soppeng, Bulukumba, Enrekang, and Bone Regencies. Using a qualitative approach with a library research design, the study examines political actors under the age of 35 who attained the position of DPRD chairperson at the regency level. Data were collected from academic literature, online media, party documents, and official government publications and analyzed descriptively and interpretively using Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of capital. The findings show that the emergence of young DPRD chairpersons is shaped by the accumulation and conversion of economic, social, and political capital. Economic capital provides resources that support political activities and electability, while social capital operates through family networks, organizational affiliations, and patronage relations. Political capital is strengthened by party support, strategic organizational positions, and institutional experience. The interaction and conversion of these forms of capital facilitate access to political positions and reinforce political legitimacy. The study concludes that the regeneration of young local political elites does not necessarily represent meritocratic democratization, but may simultaneously reproduce existing patterns of elite domination through unequal access to and conversion of capital.