Theory of Power
“The Class Domination Theory of Power” – G. William Domhoff
Reading Reflection
Predominant power in the United States has been held by those individuals in society that have money, and throughout our history this has been found to be true. People who have money and power usually associate with others that are either equally as powerful or are among the upper ranks in society. This gives the upper class the control to set the rules over policies that the other classes work under today. Domhoff suggests that the reason that America has only had an economic power network is because there have been no rival networks for it to compete with over our history. If you were to look at England and other European countries they have one big church which has power over certain aspects of society. Unlike Germany, France and England we didn’t have a strong army until around the 1940’s to threaten to take control of our government. So with all of these factors it’s no wonder that the only power in our country has been an economic one. Critics will argue that with elected officials, consumers, and organized groups have enough power together to have a more equal distribution of power than just having the people at the top control everything. However Domhoff argues that there is basically a cycle of the people who have power. Those who are wealthy have their own social circle to which the only associate with this. Within this social circle the members of the upper class have children and these children are then passed on their parents wealth and power when they get older creating a permanent upper class with control of power. Members of this class also have power over the government, and if you think about it get away with a lot more than people of the middle or lower classes. In one of my criminal justice classes my professor was explaining how one of the elected officials in one of the counties was a pedophile and had been caught in the act, so my professor tried to get him
Reading Reflection
Predominant power in the United States has been held by those individuals in society that have money, and throughout our history this has been found to be true. People who have money and power usually associate with others that are either equally as powerful or are among the upper ranks in society. This gives the upper class the control to set the rules over policies that the other classes work under today. Domhoff suggests that the reason that America has only had an economic power network is because there have been no rival networks for it to compete with over our history. If you were to look at England and other European countries they have one big church which has power over certain aspects of society. Unlike Germany, France and England we didn’t have a strong army until around the 1940’s to threaten to take control of our government. So with all of these factors it’s no wonder that the only power in our country has been an economic one. Critics will argue that with elected officials, consumers, and organized groups have enough power together to have a more equal distribution of power than just having the people at the top control everything. However Domhoff argues that there is basically a cycle of the people who have power. Those who are wealthy have their own social circle to which the only associate with this. Within this social circle the members of the upper class have children and these children are then passed on their parents wealth and power when they get older creating a permanent upper class with control of power. Members of this class also have power over the government, and if you think about it get away with a lot more than people of the middle or lower classes. In one of my criminal justice classes my professor was explaining how one of the elected officials in one of the counties was a pedophile and had been caught in the act, so my professor tried to get him
Cited: • Domhoff, G. William. "Who Rules America: The Class-Domination Theory of Power." ITS web hosting for campus units. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May 2013.