establishment
n. uncountablen. the group of powerful people who control a country or an organization. They usually want to keep things the way they are and do not like big changes.
n. the social group or elite that holds power and authority within a society or institution. Often used to describe those who represent traditional values and resist radical change.
The young artist wanted to shock the establishment.
After years of protesting against the establishment, the activist was surprised to be offered a government position.
The candidate positioned himself as an outsider, promising to dismantle the political establishment that he claimed had ignored the working class for decades.
When referring to the social elite, it is typically used with the definite article 'the' and is often capitalized.