The Elite Power Theory In The United States

The United States of America is governed by an oligarchy. Regardless of what children are taught every year in school, from kindergarten to graduation, the belief instilled in people from a young age that we are a democracy is an idealistic, and unrealistic view of current political affairs. Before delving into why the United States operates as a government dominated by the economic elite rather than a democracy though, the latter must be defined. Following the classical teachings of Aristotle’s utopian view of democracy, in which each citizen has as much weight in the policy-making that governs as any other and still maintains the rights to live as a free individual, it is not controversial to suggest that America has never been a

Plural-elitism is the pluralistic relationship between multiple elitist groups in the government. Although no group may have power over another, the groups themselves are elitist which defies the pluralistic standpoint. In addition, the elitist groups may not hold the interest of the public above all else. It is seen that the American government is neither an elitist dictatorship, nor a system where power is evenly distributed to the full extent among the people. An example of the plural-elitism relationship in the American government can be seen in the relationship between all the states. Each state has a governing power in the capital which provides order over the entirety of that state. State government is usually run by upper-class white people who do not always look to the peoples’ best interest. These state governments exist in each state which creates a pluralistic sharing of power throughout the United State. Individual state governments and their relationships to one another across the United States exemplify a plural-elitism standpoint.

The elite theory believes that a small group consisting of powerful people holds the most power, and that this power is independent of a state's democratic elections process. Elite theory argues either that democracy is in all unrealistic, or that democracy is not able to be achieved within capitalism. Within the elite theory not everyone is going to have the power when making decisions only the most powerful group. Overall meaning the elite theory can determine the trajectory of the society, and therefore the conditions which the members of that society must exist and function. When considering who’s interest does the elite theory compromise it would be hard to find an answer considering that all these groups work together to protect each other’s

When looking into the ideas of political theorists it is important to the use of political concepts that may play an important role in what the theorists are suggesting and also how they may affect the relationship between to state and the individuals living within a state. The concepts that will be looked at within this essay are: power, authority and also accountability.

The United States is no longer the democracy it stands for. Democracy stands for a government controlled by the majority of the population. The United States is no longer controlled by the majority. America is controlled by the powerful corporations and rich elite. The combination of an uninformed, disinterested public, a flawed election process, and an economy controlled by 1% of the population have all led to the formation of the American Oligarchy.

Hierarchy, a system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority. In the United States, hierarchy is not uncommon. In Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Ifemelu an African immigrant from Nigeria experiences the reality of what the “American Dream” truly is like for an immigrant. Adichie uses her character's life as to show how race affects her in America. Ifemelu moved to the United States with the illustration that she would easily be able to get a job, go to school, find love and be able to send money home in Nigeria. Instead, she was faced with many obstacles like racism. Racism is one of the major social issues of the modern world. It affects millions of people worldwide and is one of the deepest social problems in the United States.

To Hayes the failure of meritocracy comes from its focus on equality of opportunity over equality of outcome. Thus, as inequality escalated, the meritocracy ended up becoming so entrenched and isolated that it is no longer even much of a meritocracy. Hayes cites his elite NYC alma mater, Hunter College High School, as a prime example. The only admissions requirement is passing its entrance exam, yet the percentage students from minority and low income backgrounds has been steadily declining due to the expensive test taking prep courses that more affluent students can afford. Meanwhile the increasingly wealthy “meritocratic elites” isolate themselves from the rest of us in the 99% by living and traveling privately – in gated communities, exclusive clubs and resorts, corporate jets, etc., blaming the masses rather than themselves for societal woes.

The Structure of Power in American Society by C. Wright Mills discusses a lot of information regarding the economy and government. First, he establishes that power is a factor in all decisions regarding power. Also, he states that there are three types of power which are authority, manipulation, and coercion. From the lack of better ideologies and inaction, Mills blatantly states that Americans are idiots. He then goes on to explains that history is dependent on the available power methods and compares the United States to many other regions such as Germany, Soviet societies, Ancient Rome and France. From this, he develops the idea that there three big power institutions that he calls "The Big Three". The institutions are the economy, military,

How is the American meritocracy able to flourish as an elite selection mechanism when systems that serve the elite and disadvantage the majority non-elite are despised by the great majority of citizens? The answer, a simple one, is blindness. The elite selection mechanism could successfully hide behind the face of a meritocracy. Meritocratic systems are so highly regarded because they preach a value that is universally cherished, that prosperity is achieved by working hard. In the American Dream, the ultimate meritocratic ideal, success is not determined by ones origins but by how hard one works. This dream declares that all people, penniless or wealthy, have the opportunity to achieve upward mobility as long as they put their head down and work hard. The American Dream was created to serve all people. The American meritocracy was not.

The United States is the developed country which has the most powerful in the world. As the development process, there are many issues occurring in everyday life and inequality is one of the top issues that people concern. America 's new aristocracy is the article that is published in The Economist on January 2015. In the article, the author argues that "as the importance of intellectual capital grows, privilege has become increasingly heritable". The author shows that brains are the most important factor leading to the succeed of people and that is the way talented people get more wealth.

The Elite theory describes government in three different parts. The composed of corporate, political, and military leaders. C. Wright Mills would rank their importance in that order. Even if there importance is not all the same. For the Elite theory  to work correctly "The leading men in each of the three domains of power- the warlords, the corporation chieftains, the political directorate-tend to come together to form the elite of America." This explains that all three parts most work together or else the system just will not work. The development of anything that happens in the government must coincidence the interests among them.

“The Power Elite” by C. Wright Mills deals with the question of whether or not there are people who control society. The author suggests that a collection of people from different aspects of government, such as the military, industrial, and political sectors, all play a role in dictating public sentiment and action. He also takes into account that it is likely that the leaders from each element of control may not intentionally operate in the same interest and at times may work against each other. However, it is evident that there are minds and entities that exert control over the population and the establishments, schools and churches, which they flock to in the pursuit of knowledge. There is nothing to suggest that there are not individuals

Power and politics have always been around but seldom openly discussed. Power is learned at an early age through family and schools. Ordinary people such as scholars hesitate to talk about power. It is often equated with force brutality, unethical behavior, manipulation, connivance, and subjugation.

     We elect politicians on the basis on the issues by which they stand, and these issues are either held up or weakened by the numerous interest groups that exist today. Interest groups target both major and minor issues, using all of their resources to sponsor or overpower the groups’ concern. Interest groups are composed of a limited range of the body of voters who have a great stake in the issues their group support. They make evident the issues their group supports. Their resources are used in an attempt to make their issue public policy. Interest groups are persistent; they do not give up until they succeed. They lobby congress, take legal action,

Theories are used in many fields of science, but in no field are they more prevalent than Political Science. These theories are often used and researched upon to try and attempt to discern how states interact with one another. Offensive Realism, a new branch of realist political theory, is brought forth in John Mearsheimer’s book, The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. This theory focuses on the key aspects of realism, while adding a twist as to why war is an option. In his book, Mearsheimer explains the history of great powers, and predicts that China, the world’s current rising great power, will not gain hegemony in Asia peacefully. With the rise of China, he asserts the US will form coalitions with multiple states throughout Asia, to contain their growing power. This rise in power, and subsequent reactions by the US, are based on his theory Offensive Realism, which is used to predict China’s future actions. The rise of powers, and the reactions of other powers, is historically analyzed, beginning in the late 18th century, all the way to modern times. These analyzes each attempt to support his overall claim that China will rise through non-peaceful means, and shows significant support with historical examples. While the theory often meets an exception when the usual non-European power, Japan, is mentioned, Mearsheimer’s theory introduces a solid new aspect to the realm of Political Science, and presents enough evidence and information to be considered integral to