The Power Elite?

Question

What can you tell me about C.Wright Mills and the Power Elite???

Answer 1

The Power Elite (1956) describes the relationship between the political, military, and economic elite (people at the pinnacles of these three institutions), noting that these people share a common world view:

the military metaphysic: a military definition of reality

possess class identity: recognizing themselves separate and superior to the rest of society

have interchangeability: they move within and between the three institutional structures and hold interlocking directorates

cooptation / socialization: socialization of prospective new members is done based on how well they "clone" themselves socially after such elites

These elites in the "big three" institutional orders have an "uneasy" alliance based upon their "community of interests" driven by the military metaphysic, which has transformed the economy into a 'permanent war economy'.

Answer 2

An analysis of politics that sees power as concentrated among the rich.

C.Wright Mills(1956), a social-conflict theorist who argued that the upper class holds most of society's wealth,prestige, and power.

Claimed that the power elite are in charge of 3 major sectors in the U.S society: the economy, government, and the military.

The power elite is made up of the "super rich(corporate executives and major stockholders).