The first article I wish to summarize is the abstract from The Power Elite by C. Wright Mills, which directly deals with the topic of power in politics. The article concerns the research that the author conducted about the American society and the interconnected interests of the leaders of the country’s most influential domains: economic, political, and military. According to Mills (2000), these spheres became more administrative and centralized, accumulating more influence than previously. For example, the economy is now dominated by no more than three hundred corporations, most of which are connected and have shared interests (Wright Mills, 2000). Similarly, the political order became consolidated and is concerned with more aspects of life, whereas the military was converted into the branch of the government with most financial investments (Wright Mills, 2000). Thus, to hold any power in the country, an individual needs to have ties to one of these domains.
The research methods that the author seems to have employed include observation of the discussed domains over time. The findings indicate that continuous influence lies in access to political, economic, and military institutions (Wright Mills, 2000). The author shows that this access is possible with the accumulation of wealth. However, capital does not necessarily translate into power if it is not connected to an influential organization (Wright Mills, 2000). The article illustrates that the country’s elite emerged primarily from the middle class that invested their money into organizations with prominent political ties (Wright Mills, 2000). Thus, a small number of men within this ruling class make the decisions that affect the rest of the population.
In conclusion, the abstract in question closely examines the power elite in the United States and what makes its existence possible. The author disproves a common misconception that money equals potency and explains that wealth can only result in the accumulation of political influence if invested in a corporation with relevant connections. Overall, the centralization of economic, political, and military domains played the main role in the rise of the power elite in the United States.
Reference
Wright Mills, C. (2000). The power elite. Oxford University Press.