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Democracy in an Elite Society Democracy has been an important value for the Am

Democracy has been an important value for the American people since the founding of the nation in the late eighteenth century. However, analysis shows that the United States is not truly democratic. Rather, it is an elitist society run by the rich. In this respect, the United States should be called a plutocracy, or government by the wealthy.

The idea that the rich run America has been encompassed in the elite theory of society. Prior to the 1960's, many people accepted the elite theory as a model for American politics. However, after the Vietnam War, some writers began claiming that the elite system had died out in the United States. According to this argument, the Vietnam War was a last-ditch effort by the elite to gain control over the world. When this effort proved to be fruitless, the elite as a whole supposedly "committed suicide" by dissolving itself (Saveth, 1991, p. 44). However, Saveth argues that the elite system is still alive and well in American politics. In fact, there is evidence that elite control in the nation has become even stronger in recent years. This is particularly true in the wake of the Persian Gulf War. It is widely agreed that the U.S. victory in that battle over oil interests helped the nation to overcome its former "Vietnam Syndrome." As such, it eliminated "what had been the prime cause for the alleged elite 'suicide'" (Saveth, 1991, p. 47).

According to the elite theory, it is actually impossible for a true democracy to exist. The concept of democracy implies a rule by the people with complete equality and justice for all. In reality, however, "all government is government by an elite, or at best one among a number of competing elites" (Arblaster, 1987, p. 52). In a capitalist society, power requires money. Demographic data shows that only a small percentage of people in America control the majority of the nation's wealth (Meltzer, 1989, pp. 135-136). It is this minority of pe...

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Democracy in an Elite Society Democracy has been an important value for the Am. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 12:55, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1705463.html