Question 1

According to Mills, the leaders over the three sectors of the power elite come from the local opinion leaders who work their way into powerful positions.

Accepted Answer

According to Mills, the leaders over the three sectors of the power elite (political, economic, and military) are not necessarily local opinion leaders who work their way up. Rather, they are typically born into wealthy and influential families, attend elite schools, and network with other members of the power elite.

Question 2

The powerless mass of unorganized people is exploited economically and politically and is controlled from above by the power elite.

Accepted Answer

This statement reflects the basic premise of the power elite theory, which argues that a small group of wealthy and influential individuals hold disproportionate control over society, including its economic and political institutions. This leaves the majority of people, who are largely unorganized and lacking in power, vulnerable to exploitation and manipulation by those in positions of authority.

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

The answer of The elitist views of societal power are...

Question 4

According to Domhoff, it is Congress that exercises control over government agencies by almost total staffing of important government appointments including cabinet members, members of regulatory agencies, judges, diplomats, and presidential advisors.

Accepted Answer

According to Domhoff, it is the President, not Congress, who exercises control over government agencies by staffing important government appointments, including cabinet members, members of regulatory agencies, judges, diplomats, and presidential advisors. Congress plays a role in confirming these appointments, but it is the President who nominates them.

Question 5

Domhoff argues that while policies promoting a strong economy, an adequate defense, and social stability may be beneficial to all people, these policies especially favor the rich.

Accepted Answer

Domhoff argues that policies promoting a strong economy, an adequate defense, and social stability may benefit all people but they particularly benefit the rich.

Question 6

From the structuralist perspective, the system is viewed as biased toward the elite without their active manipulation.

Accepted Answer

In the structuralist perspective, the system is viewed as perpetuating and maintaining power disparities without the active manipulation of the elite. The unequal distribution of resources, opportunities, and social norms favor the dominant group, which reproduces and reinforces their hegemony.

Question 7

In Domhoff's view, the dominant class directly controls Congress and state and local governments.

Accepted Answer

Domhoff suggests that the dominant class influences policy and government indirectly through a network of policy-planning groups, think tanks, and a consensus-building process, rather than directly controlling Congress and state and local governments.

Question 8

Money presents a fundamental obstacle to democracy because only the interests of the wealthy tend to be served.

Accepted Answer

When money dominates politics, politicians are incentivized to cater to the interests of their wealthy donors rather than the needs and desires of the general public. This can lead to policies that benefit the rich at the expense of everyone else, effectively undermining democratic principles of equality and representation.

Question 9

Marx believed that individual merit was the basis for the stratification system and that the masses exert tremendous influence on government policies and action.

Accepted Answer

Marx believed that the stratification system was based on social class and ownership of the means of production, and that the ruling class controls government policies and actions. He also emphasized collective action by the working class to challenge and overthrow the capitalist system.

Question 10

Both Mills and Domhoff saw the military as having much less power and being dominated by the corporate rich through the executive branch.

Accepted Answer

While both C. Wright Mills and G. William Domhoff discussed the power of elites in American society, Mills, in his work "The Power Elite" (1956), argued that the military was one of the three main components of the power elite, alongside corporate leaders and political leaders. Domhoff, on the other hand, focused more on the role of the corporate rich and social upper classes in his analysis of power structures, as seen in his book "Who Rules America?" (1967). Mills did not argue that the military was dominated by the corporate rich through the executive branch; instead, he saw it as a crucial part of the elite power structure alongside corporations and the government.

Question 11

The structuralist holds that the ruling class gets its way because in a capitalist society it is imperative that the government serve the needs of business to avoid crises.

Accepted Answer

This statement reflects the belief of the structuralist approach to political economy.

Question 12

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.

Accepted Answer

The governing class model, often associated with elite theory, suggests that a small group of elites or a governing class holds the majority of power in society, rather than power being distributed among a wide range of interest groups as described.

Question 13

The political system in the United States is undemocratic in many ways and the people, although they do vote for their representatives every few years, are really quite powerless.

Accepted Answer

The political system in the United States does have various undemocratic features, such as gerrymandering, voter suppression, and the influence of money in politics. Additionally, the power of the people to influence policy decisions may be limited by factors such as corporate interests and the two-party system. Therefore, while citizens do have the ability to vote for representatives, their overall level of power and influence may be limited.

Question 14

Parenti argues that personal wealth is an equivalent of power.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Parenti argues that personal wealth is an...

Question 15

Domhoff argues that the dominant class has more influence on (but not formal control of) Congress and state and local governments than any other group.

Accepted Answer

According to Domhoff's theory of power, the dominant class has a significant influence on Congress and state and local governments, making decisions that benefit their interests. However, they might not have formal control over these institutions.

Question 16

Critics of his model argue that, although it is true that most persons in institutionally important positions have upper-class backgrounds, Domhoff offers no proof that these people promote the interests of the corporate rich.

Accepted Answer

The sentence states that critics argue that Domhoff's model lacks proof that people in institutionally important positions with upper-class backgrounds promote the interests of the corporate rich, implying that it may not be true. Therefore, the correct answer is A.

Question 17

Critics argue that Mills' model of power is invalid because the various members of the power elite do not always agree and conflict frequently occurs among them.

Accepted Answer

Critics argue that Mills' model assumes a monolithic power elite that always agrees and acts in unison, which is not always the case in reality. Conflict and disagreements can occur among the members of the power elite, undermining the validity of Mills' model.

Question 18

Parenti argues that the interests of the powerful and the wealthy are served because of their influence over elected and appointed officials at all levels, through systemic imperatives, and through the ideological control of the masses.

Accepted Answer

Parenti argues that the interests of the powerful and the wealthy are served through their influence over elected and appointed officials, systemic imperatives, and ideological control, such as media manipulation and education.

Question 19

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.

Accepted Answer

C. Wright Mills identified the power elite as consisting of three main sectors: the military, the corporate rich, and the political directorate (which includes the executive branch and legislative leaders, but the specific mention of the legislature as a separate entity is not accurate in the context of his theory).

Question 20

It is C. Wright Mills who identifies the dominant class as the approximately 1% of the population that owns a disproportionate share of the country's wealth and contributes a disproportionate number of its members to the controlling institutions and key decision-making groups of the country.

Accepted Answer

C. Wright Mills is known for his concept of the "power elite," but the idea of the 1% owning a disproportionate share of wealth is more closely associated with contemporary discussions on economic inequality, such as those by Thomas Piketty or the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Quiz 14: Power and Politics