Week 14: Who Has the Power

I would have to agree with C. Wright Mill that there is a power elite.  Power in the areas of politics, the economy, and even the military has shifted to those who hold status through wealth.  Most of these people are white, wealthy, and from good family backgrounds.  They have become the heads of major corporations and politicians.  It is not uncommon for the president or other officials to hang out with CEOs of companies.  These powerful people have control over society from the money they have.  When a large contribution is made to a certain politician, that politician may feel that they owe something to that donator.  I remember hearing on the news a few times over the years about shady dealing with campaign contributions.  They could easily be called a bribe if they didn't follow legal channels.  Politicians needs money to run for office.  If a corporation or other such wealthy person wants a particular agenda taken care of, they can donate lots of money to that politician.  If the politician does not follow along, that money can be taken away or they no longer have support.  Money is a very powerful tool these days, and if you have money you have a lot of power.

When it comes to areas other than politics, those who are wealthy still have the power.  And those with the power tend to come from similar backgrounds.  Like the textbook mentioned, those in positions of power come from backgrounds that are not representative of the general population.  They come from family money, are white, are men, and attended prestigious universities.  That type of person will most likely be the head of a major company and hold high positions in the government and military.  Power is very disproportionately distributed among a small group of people.

The majority of the population does not hold the power.  We have very little say over everything that happens with our government and even in the places we work.  We are not offen consulted by the head of our companies when big decisions are being made.  We do not get a vote when major bills are being passed through congress.  We elect people who we think would best represent our interests in the government but chances are they are in the power elite or they know people in the power elite and they can be influenced by them.  Interest groups can make their opinions known more than the general population but even they hold only so much influence.  Groups can lobby all they want, but when it comes down to it, if money is at stake the wealthy elite will usually have the last say.