"A penetrating analysis.... It is an excellent guide to the system of 'Mandarin Capitalism' that some see emerging and its wide-ranging consequences"--Noam Chomsky. In our society, expert knowledge has become the ticket to success, as we rely ever more on certified, degree-holding professionals. This incisive analysis shows that experts are emerging as a new ruling class within capitalism, challenging the way we think about professionalism and expert knowledge.