t, 134 PART TWO INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS CHAPTER 6 ECONOMIC RIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES 135 Individualism is a powerful component of elite influence.In comparison with European democracies,the United States has very low effective tax rates NAUYA店TmsS particularly on high incomes and accumulated capital,supposedly because such Class Consclousness low rates constitute incentives and rewards for individual efforts.Even more Wealth s distributed very important to moneyed interests is Americans'mistrust of big goverment,an unequally in the United attitude that stems from individualism and results in a tendency to leave to the The respe cent private sector many of the decisions that in other democracies are made by government.Banking,natural resources,health care,and air transportation are oeh30 peroent of he among the economic sectors that are controlled by private firms in America but 对pma by government agencies elsewhere. percent of the wealth.Yot Individualism results in a sharp distinction between that which is properly Americans are not highly public (political)and that which is properly private (economic).The public ss conscious.Why is this? Is America's individualistic component is subject to partisan debate and action.The private component, cultire part of the which includes most economic relationships,is not.The result is that most of explanation?Do tacis the power and resources of the country's wealthiest interests are effectively ons among poorer Workfare-the performance of beyond the reach of a political majority.Although ordinary people are Americans interfere with the development of class public servioes,such as profoundly affected by the decisions of moneyed interests,they continue to awareness？ maintaining the grounds of housing project,in exchange for believe that these decisions belong not to themselves but to the holders of government-paid financial property.Thus,although(as we saw in Chapter 2)the Supreme Court decided ssistance-一is gaining in in 1937 that the Constitution was no longer a powerful protector of business ative to interests,these interests are still protected in significant ways by Americans welfare "handouts."(Kevin persistent belief that politics and economics are largely different realms. Horan/Plcture Group) The power of America's economic elite is often exaggerated;it is a mistaketo States is run than does an economic elite composed of wealthy individuals and assume that because the nation's politics serves the interests of this elite,it corporate managers.This elite controls the country's agenda by dominating its serves only those interests.Elite analysis also breaks down when it is ahistorical; financial resources.3 The richest 1 percent of Americans own 33 percent of the some analysts attribute the power of moneyed interests to a grand conspiracy nation's total wealth,and the top 100 corporations (ouf of a ropadl of 200,00) rather than to a cultural bias in favor of economic accumulation and power.But control half of all industrial assets. in any case the extraordinary power of wealthy interests in America is both a consequence and a cause of the country's individualistic culture. MSee G.William Domhod.Who Rules Aterice Now?(Englewood Cliffa,N.J:Prentice-Hall,1983) HUMAN ENERGY AND PROGRESS Individualism as a fundamental value cannot be judged by its costs alone.It has THE PROCESS OF ELITE INFLUENCE the capacity to liberate human energy and imagination,thereby contributing to AVATYZETHF T5SUL societal progress and individual growth. The Question of An individualistic society is open and fluid rather than closed and stratified. a Ruling Elite Ellte theory holds that America is essentially run by a tiny demic experts,and journalists,constitute the large majori By law and custom,there are few formal distinctions-no titles,no fixed class Elite-theory and Mardst mnk2a的 ty of its 1,800 members.The CFR publishes the influential joumal Foreign Afairs:sponsors speeches by world lead lines-that sharply separate Americans from one another.To a considerable sociologists daim that ers;and organizes study groups of top govermental degree,each American must create his or her own place in society.Although y Americans are duped by elites into occupy all high positions in leading corporations and hold a disproportionate number of positions in the federal officials,military officers,corporate managers,and material striving is one consequence,another and more salutary effect is that supporting a society that does not foster their best interest executive and Congress,particularly the Senate.In addi- academics who meet perlodically to discuss foreign policy Americans are not locked into inferior social positions.There are fewer barriers tion,members of this elite are said to have inside influence to social mobility in the United States than in nearly any other society.Race is One suppa sed strategy is issues.Finally,the economic elite is connected to powerful the dramatic exception:nonwhites confront formidable obstacles to advance- pervasive advertising,which over political officials because they contribute a dispro- interest groups,particularly the corporations and trade creates a blind demand for portionate share of the campaign funds that candidates associations that account for more than half of all Wash ment.For whites,at any rate,American society is remarkably open,a condition that is owed largely to individualism.As Tocqueville noted more than a century products,enriches the elite receive and because they underwrite many foundations, ington lobbying groups. and padfes the masses with "think tanks"(research institutes)and policy groups.The and a half ago,there is a natural social equality in a country in which a person's naterial possessions.Can you Council on Foreign Relations(CFR),for instance,receives achievement is admired more than his or her family background.32 think of other examples that much of its funding from corporations and wealthy con- SouRcE G.William Domhoff,Who Rmles Americs Noo?(Engle- The bias that individualism produces against governmental power also has its seem to support elite theary? positive side.For one thing.personal privacy is strengthened when people Are there mples that tributors,who,along with govemmental officials,aca- wood Chffs,N.J.:Prentice-Hall,1983),ch.1. disprove it?Do you think America is indeed run by a ruling elite?