Political elites largely determine the main development vector of a particular state. After collapse the Soviet Union collapse in the post-Soviet states, including the Baltic, new power wielding groups were gradually formed. The article presents results of research on the role of structural factors in the formation of the Baltic States elites and their influence on the society economic and political development. The authors show that the process of forming politically active circles, acting as a kind of transformation drivers in the studied territories, began long before their independence.