3.5c Power by the Few
How can it be that power is pluralistic and also concentrated among a few groups in the United States? The reasons power tends to be held by the few rather than the many include the iron law of oligarchy, the power elite, and nepotism.
The iron law of oligarchy refers to the idea that, no matter what principles a large organization claims to follow, it will eventually be run by a small group of leaders who hold most of the power and keep it within their circle (Spear, 2023). In practice, this means that organizations, from Fortune 500 companies to governments, are often run by a small group of people rather than being democratically governed. Further, organizational leaders serve the organization’s interests, and their livelihood (which includes salary, health insurance, and other benefits) depends on the organization’s survival. Therefore, it is beneficial for leaders if their self-interest aligns with the organization’s self-interests, which may differ from the interests of the workers or public.
Sometimes people hold power in multiple social institutions. C. Wright Mills called this phenomena the power elite to draw attention to how the same individuals have overlapping power in the government, the military, and the economy. These institutions all depend on each other and therefore have similar interests. People in top positions often come from a small pool of individuals who share social and professional networks and work to keep their elite or high status. For instance, many members of the U.S. Congress share similar educational backgrounds. Over 94% of U.S. Congress members have at least a bachelor’s degree compared to 38% of the U.S. population (Schaeffer, 2023). Not only do they have higher rates of college completion than other U.S. citizens, but they also graduated from a small number of exclusive universities. Among the 100 U.S. Senators in the 118th Congress, 13 graduated from Harvard University, nine from Yale University, and seven from Georgetown University (Schaeffer, 2023).
Another way groups keep power is through nepotism. Nepotism is the practice of hiring or promoting individuals based on their familial or social connections, rather than their unique qualifications. This practice enables families and groups to maintain control. In addition to nepotism in government (e.g., the Kennedys and the Bushes) and in corporations (e.g., the Fords and the Waltons), it also occurs in religious organizations. For instance, several influential and culturally powerful religious leaders began their careers as pastors in their fathers’ churches. Consider Joel Osteen, a nondenominational Christian preacher and televangelist at Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas. Lakewood Church is one of the largest congregations in the United States, with about 45,000 weekly attendees. Osteen’s father founded the church, and now his son is also taking on leadership roles within it. Osteen and his children were socialized into their roles at their family’s church, preparing them to take on leadership roles in the family business.
Photo 3.18
Televangelist Joel Osteen Preaching at Lakewood Church in Houston, TX
