Answer to Question #251822 in Sociology for NEO

Question

Reflect on theories of state, society and power and identify how each contributes to understanding the role of elites in society.

Answer 1

Marxist Model of Power

German theorist Karl Marx (1818–83) analyzed how power is distributed through a society's economic system. Marx believed that the structure of a society is rooted in its economy. He particularly focused on how society is shaped by the ownership of the means of production—facilities and resources, such as tools, factory buildings, and machinery, used for manufacturing goods–that are dominant in that society. He defined the social classes that made up a society through the relationship each class has to the means of production. In a capitalist society, most power is held by the owners of the means of production. The means of production are how society ensures its continued existence, through producing food, shelter, clothing, and other goods, as well as cultural products such as art and literature. In a feudal society, most production took the form of farming. The ruling class was made up of royalty and nobles who owned the land and thus possessed most of the power in their society. In industrial capitalism, most power rests with the bourgeoisie, the class that owns property, including owning and controlling the means of production, such as wealth, factories, resources, patents, and so on. In a capitalist society, most people are not members of this class of owners and instead must sell labor to the bourgeoisie in order to survive. Marx called this larger class the proletariat, the working class, members of which own only their own labor. Members of the proletariat are forced to sell their labor because they have no control over the means of production. Their role in a capitalist society is to create a profit for the bourgeoisie. Marx viewed these classes as always in conflict with each other. Class struggle is a key concept in Marxist analysis, referring to the conflict between classes as each tries to advance its own goals and interests.

Pluralism Model of Power

One model of how power functions in a society is pluralism—the theory that power is, or should be, distributed among multiple interest groups in society. An interest group is a group with a specific focus, need, or goal. Interest groups are formed by sections of society united by shared interests, including economic interests, ideologies, cultures, and traditions. While the interests of different groups are often in conflict, pluralists see competition among different interest groups as positive. They argue that the distribution of power among diverse groups within society helps to forge a kind of social order. It also prevents elites from holding all the power within a society. Pluralists believe that when power is fragmented and dispersed among many groups, rather than concentrated, social and political policies are formed by negotiation and compromise. This helps ensure that different groups get their needs met. For example, unions represent the interests of workers, industry groups represent businesses and corporations, and groups based on cultural affiliation represent the interests of members of those cultural groups. Each group advocates for laws and policies that it favors. Pluralists theorize that interest groups mostly become influential in the areas that are of concern to them. An agricultural interest group, for instance, would mostly impact laws, policies, practices, and any area of society related to farming and the business of agriculture. A Mexican American cultural group would mostly influence areas of interest to its group members, such as bilingual education policies. If groups come into conflict, government acts as a mediating force, with the broad result being an equal distribution of power among all groups. Pluralism arose as a theory in developed countries, such as the United States, in the mid-20th century. This theory is highly influenced by the culture and values of the United States, particularly the American emphasis on individual liberties, democracy, and a market-oriented industrial economy. The United States' history of forging a national identity out of waves of migrants from around the world also helped promote the core ideas of pluralism—strength from diversity and mediated conflict between diverse interest groups.

Power Elite Model

While the pluralism model concentrates on how power is dispersed throughout a society, the power elite theory describes how power is concentrated in the hands of a small, elite group. Power elite theory was proposed in 1956 by American sociologist C. Wright Mills (1916–62), who based his model on U.S. society in the mid-20th century. Mills defined the power elite as a small group of individuals within the government, the military, and large corporations who hold the majority of power in a society. These elites may compete among themselves to determine the direction of society, but they are united in preserving their power against challenges from nonelite groups, who make up most of society. According to Mills, the power elite in the United States holds power through occupying key posts in American society—high political office, military leadership, and leadership positions in large corporations. Occupation of these posts allows the elite to make crucial decisions about the shape of the economy, the direction of politics, and military budgets. These decisions have immense power to shape society. Mills analyzed power in the United States during the period that followed World War II, when the military establishment grew to greater prominence because of the war and the Cold War that followed. He drew on the idea of the military-industrial complex, the powerful alliance of an enormous military, the defense industry, and the federal government. Major corporations also grew even larger during this period, in part because of a series of mergers that created large conglomerates—companies that own several businesses. Mills stressed that among the power elite, corporations have the most power. Mills wrote that this power elite is tied together by a shared worldview and shared social connection. A worldview is a set of assumptions about the world, how it works, and one's place within it. In Mills' analysis of the postwar United States, members of the power elite share the opinion that the United States should promote business at home and free enterprise around the world, using U.S. power to secure American business interests globally. This worldview supports and promotes the business and wealth interests of the members of the elite. It is reinforced by the fact that many members of the power elite have a personal connection, through shared social acquaintance and shared experiences in education, business, or the military. In the power elite model, the distribution of power can be thought of as a pyramid. Most power is held by the elite at the top of the pyramid. This elite group decides which issues matter in politics. They decide the overall direction of policy and have the power to set or thwart the agenda of society. Below the elite sits a middle level, which is mostly charged with implementing the policies set by the elite. Members of the middle level, such as state and federal legislators, may tinker with the details of these policies but do not have much meaningful influence or control