In: Psychology
What is the significance of C. Wright Mill's concept of the Power Elite?
Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily. You may elaborate the answer based on personal views or your classwork if necessary.
(Answer) In the 1956 book “The Power Elite” by C. W. Mills, he talks about a concept called the “power elite.” In this concept, he explores how politicians, businessmen, military and leaders of society have their interests interwoven. This would mean that each of these pillars of society needs the help of the other pillars to survive at the top. This causes them to help each other in “quid pro quo” situations in order to strengthen each other’s positions within society. For instance, a rich businessman might pay for the election campaign of a politician In the future, the businessman is protected by the politician if they are elected in office.
Such a status quo leaves the common man powerless if there is no transparency in these dealings. This signifies that the unity among the elite makes them even more powerful and the ordinary people even more powerless against them.