The Power Elite Theory

The world we live in today is one that is often defined by polarity and power. Open conflicts between groups and a thirst for control are now adjectives for the political system that the United States is governed with. This said, the modern democracy of today is far cry from the broad concept of democracy that “incorporate[s] a more direct role for citizen participation where everyone has the right to participate and equal resources to do so” (Manza A-3). In fact, the United States’ version of democracy involves a form of governance where representative leaders are elected by the people; this definition has made many question whether our political system is even a democracy at all. To analyze our democracy, sociologists are able to perceive the political system through the lens of the pluralist model, ruling class model, and the power elite model.

Along with numerous other theorists, Robert Dahl

Wright Mills has made numerous contributions to the field of sociology, one of them being the power elite model. Like Domhoff’s ruling class model, this conflict perspective leaves the decisions to the elites. Described by Mills as the “power elite”, this small group is comprised of top leaders in business, politics, and the military. The main difference between Mills’ and Domhoff’s theories is that the power elite model specifically places the most power in the hands of the corporate rich as those individuals have the ability to use their capital as influence and, in turn, political power. In the United States, the power elite model is best exemplified by the biggest corporations having greater influence within politics then the widest layer of the economic pyramid - the masses. This model states that this deviance from the “ideal democracy” leaves the general population “relatively powerless and ... vulnerable to economic and political exploitation” (Kendall 407). All in all, these three sociological models offer three distinct interpretations of our political