Reference no: EM133355407
Read "The Power Elite - Excerpt."
1. In the excerpt, Mills argues that the rich control the major power centers of the U.S., including the economy, the military, and the government. The excerpt comes from a book that was first published in 1956. Does his thesis still hold true in today's time? Support your answer by giving several examples that point to the current power centers in the U.S. and who is in control of them.
2. What are some recent examples of what Mills called an "interlocking directorate"?
3. Mills argues that the wealthy are nothing more than their "institutional positions," resources, and the mass media's obsession with them - and without them, they would be "powerless and poor and uncelebrated." Do you agree or disagree with that statement, and why? Give some examples to support your answer.
4. Mills contends that the decisions of the power elite "mightily effect, the everyday worlds of ordinary men and women," including, "set[ting] up and break[ing] down jobs for thousands of others," and that they don't just "'meet the demands of the day and hour'" but "create these demands, and cause others to meet them." If you agree with Mills basic thesis (see question 1), what are some recent examples of power elite members affecting the lives of ordinary Americans.
5. How do you think Mills would view celebrities in relation to the power elite in today's time? He viewed them as part of the power elite's broader network that sometimes shape their opinion and distract the masses. Has their role in relation to the power elite changed in today's time? Gives some examples to support your answer.