Elite Theory

In reality, however, "all governing body is government by an elect(ip), or at best maven among a number of competing elites" (Arblaster, 1987, p. 52). In a capitalist society, advocate requires money. Demographic data shows that only a small destiny of community in America restrict the majority of the nation's riches (Meltzer, 1989, pp. 135-136). It is this minority of people that holds all the wealth and power of the nation. This elite group is able to use its power to get its ingest policies implemented and its own legislations passed. These policies and legislations get passed regardless of what the majority eyeshot is. Obviously, this is not the model for a true democracy.

One of the earliest discussions of the elite theory can be found in the book Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy, which was written by Joseph Schumpeter in 1942. check to Schumpeter, "the classical ideal of government by the people was not only impossible but also undesirable on account of the proven ignorance, irrationality and apathy of the people" (Arblaster, 1987, p. 53). Schumpeter believed that people are incapable of ruling themselves and that they need elite leadership to maintain law and order for them. In 1956, the elite theory underwent new developments with the publication of The Power Elite by C. Wright Mills. In that book, Mills claimed that a "power elite" was in control of both politics and so

McKenna, G., & Feingold, S. (1989). Labels and alignments in American politics. Taking sides: Clashing views on controversial semipolitical issues. sixth ed. G. McKenna & S. Feingold, eds. Guilford: Dushkin, pp. xii-xxi.

Greeley, A. M. (1989). Is America ruled by an elite?: no(prenominal) Taking sides: Clashing views on controversial political issues. 6th ed. G. McKenna & S. Feingold, eds. Guilford: Dushkin, pp. 13-18.

In reality, American capitalism is a very daedal system. Because of this, the socialist point of view is limited in its scope. In particular, it fails to consider the fact that " modulate" is a more vital parentage of power than control over production (Domhoff, 1983, p. 8). No matter how many factories a person owns, power entrust not exist unless that person is able to exert influence over others. As defined by Meltzer (1989), power is "the capability to get what one wants, either by having one's interests prevail in conflicts with others or by preventing others from raising conflicting demands" (p. 24). Meltzer further notes that the source for this type of influence is not simply having money or owning a company. Rather, power also involves having access to such things as technology, people, and the media (Meltzer, 1989, p. 24). Domhoff claims that "it is the cumulative and combined effects of these varying types of power that makes the focal ratio class a ruling class" (Domhoff, 1983, p. 9).

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