Hopefully there's a better way, but I think Leo Strauss makes a crucial point about the role of elite cynicism about the masses. If everyone could be enlightened there would be problem, but if enlightenment is for only the few, there has to be a double standard, and society becomes schizophrenic.

The masses have to be catered to in a way that preserves the general peace, while enabling the few to pursue more enlightened goals. The top one percent, though, are corrupt rather than enlightened, so really there are three standards at play. The aristocrats or power elites think of themselves as being above the law, and they just want to dominate, believing there's no higher calling.