Discuss Domhoff's,Dye's,and Rothkopf's Views on Elite Dominance

question 53

Essay

Discuss Domhoff's,Dye's,and Rothkopf's views on elite dominance.C.Wright Mill's theory of elite dominance continue to study elites and are less reluctant to suggest business dominance.One of them is G.William Domhoff,who,in a series of books,argues the existence of a cohesive American upper class based on wealth,socialization in private schools,membership in exclusive clubs,and occupancy of high positions in business,government,and nonprofit institutions.Within this upper class lies a smaller leadership group,a controlling core of leaders in the corporate community.According to Domhoff,this core is a power elite.Domhoff does not quantify the power elite.Its power can be measured by the maintenance of a pro-corporate environment.Using foundation money,think tanks,lobbying,and campaign contributions it is consistently able to defeat the policy preferences of liberals and progressives who favor income redistribution and greater equality of opportunities.
Political scientist Thomas R.Dye tried to identify precisely which individuals made up an American elite.Believing that power comes from leadership in organizations,he identified an "institutional elite" of individuals who occupied the top positions in 10 sectors-industrial,banking,insurance,investments,mass media,law,education,foundations,civic and cultural organizations,and government.
According to scholar David Rothkopf,globalization led to the emergence of a transnational power elite or "superclass," operating across borders through "networks of individuals and organizations." The superclass eclipses the power of national elites.It does not rule or conspire,but its dominant business subset,having "more power than any other group on the planet," abets an agenda of oil dependence,free markets,free trade,and military spending.