provide a mechanism of both social and political control.6 In effect, in this context, the small claims court, by providing ordinary citizens with a relatively uncomplicated procedure for the settling of relatively unimportant economic disputes, facilitates the maintenance of social and political control by the societal elite.7
For the greater part, the American population has long accepted and cherished the notion of the United States as an egalitarian and classless society. There is a contention, how ever, that an American societal establishment does, indeed, exist. While the concept of an American establishment is still not fully accepted, its cousin, the concept of an American power elite, is widely accepted. 3
The most spirited contemporary discussions of these con cepts do not emphasize the existence or non existence of an establishment or a power elite in the United States. Rather, such discussions are more likely to be concerned with the defini tion and composition of an establishment or a power elite in this country.
With respect to definition of an American establishment or a power elite, some observers cling to the notion that a set of wealthy families are able to control the country, while others think that, while a power elite exists, it is actually many headed political government, corporate, military, and so forth. Still others tend to identify one single group as the power elite, such as major corporations. The research find ings reported in the literature, however, confirm that the elite is rarely found in small claims court.8
With respect to composition of an American establishment or a power elite, some observers contend that ethnicity, the source of a university education, and family background are the principal criteria for entrance into the ranks of the power elite. Others contend that institutions, such as government bureaucracy, the mass media, the military, and so forth, provide t...