Exam 14: Power and Politics

The governing class model assumes that there are a number of specific interest groups in American society, each with the power to counteract or neutralize the interest of others.

Campaign financing is one of the most undemocratic features of the U.S. political system.

According to Mills, the most powerful sector of the power elite is the military.

Which of the three branches of government is not controlled, according to Domhoff, by the dominant class?

Domhoff and Mills agree that the upper class has ascended to the apex of power.

Mills regards the mass media and public relations firms as instruments wielded by the decision-makers to influence the masses.

Parenti notes that the dominance of the wealthy is legitimized when indoctrination to conservative values achieves a consensus among the citizenry concerning the status quo.

Critics of Domhoff's model arguethat, although most persons in institutionally important positions have upper-class backgrounds, Domhoff offers no proof that these people promote the interests of the ________.

Parenti argues that personal wealth is an equivalent of power.

The elitist views of societal power are similar to the views of power held by Karl Marx.

A historical event that gave impetus to the formation of the power elite was the Great Depression, which began in 1929.

Teddy Roosevelt was a President who distinguished himself by actively opposing the interests of big business.

The spread of communism helped develop the power elite.

From (the) ________ perspective, the ruling class gets its way because the structure of political and economic institutions in capitalist society makes it imperative that the state serve those interests regardless of whether big businessmen take part in state affairs.

According to C. Wright Mills, three subsectors of U.S. society--the corporate rich, the executive branch of government, and the legislature--regularly interact to form the power elite.

What criticisms have been directed at Domhoff's theory of power?

The pluralist model emphasizes the upper economic stratum as the source of leadership for different sectors of power.

Political campaigns are subsidized by taxpayer contributions so that virtually anyone can have access to sufficient financial support to run for public office.

Wright Mills regards the power elite as composed of people with similar interests and goals who occupy key institutional positions.

Control of presidential nominations is cited by Domhoff to show the impact of the dominant class on the decision-making structure of the United States.