Purchase Solution

Dye's sectors of Power

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

Hello! I need help with the following:

Within the attached articles select an elite figure from any of Dye's twelve key sectors of power. Utilizing a minimum of three outside sources 1050-1400 wd that addresses the following points:

1.What is the basis of the selected figure's power? Is it derived from wealth, influence over information distribution, immediate access to policymakers, or any combination of the above?

2.What strategies does the selected elite figure use to maintain status and influence? Networking with other elites, business practices, direct political participation?

3.Provide specific examples of how the selected elite figure has influenced public policy. What were the obstacles? How were they overcome?

4.Does your selected elite figure provide an apt example of social mobility? Is the individual a self-made mogul, or was his or her power largely inherited?

5.Do the activities of the elite you selected support how elitist theorists explain wealth and power in America?

6.Assess whether or not the power wielded by the selected elite figure positively or negatively represents your interests.

Purchase this Solution

Solution Summary

The solution is a comprehensive essay exploring elitism in America by looking at Thomas Dye's work on "Sectors of Power". Answering all the key points in the original posting (see long description), the solution provides a mini-case analysis in relation to the collapse of the sub-prime market in the US and how elitism in corporate America influenced said collapse. The solution also looks at the history of the development of American Capitalism in relation to globalization. Written in the APA-format, the solution is fully referenced and would be of value to Philosophy, History, Social Economics, Political Science as well as business/finance students.

Solution Preview

Dear Student,
Your solution is also attached as a word file. I chose a figure outside of your text but one who fits in perfectly with Corporate America. Good luck!

Sincerely,
OTA 105878
------------------------------

Dye's Elite

For Prof. Thomas Dye, elitism is inevitable even in a democracy. This is primarily due to the fact that in the way things are in this current society, power can only be vested, shared, grabbed or control by a few. He proposes:

"The elite are the few who have power in society; the masses are the many who do not. We shall call our national leaders "elites" because they possess formal authority over large institutions that shape the lives of all Americans."

-T. Dye, Chapter 1, pp. 2, Prentice Hall, 2002

Dye argues that elitism is not a social disorder or the inability of the people, the voting masses to assert their rights by suffrage. It is neither due to poverty or lack of education. Elitism happens because the nature of governance is that in the end, actual governance will be in the hands of a number of people and that in every organization, in every nation/society leadership and management is necessary to keep order, development and security.

Case in Point: Corporate America

The recent collapse of the subprime mortgage market showed us that America as a nation of capitalists and open economy had been heavily dependent on a certain sector of the market to prop up consumer security and spending/buying power. For a good while there the finance sector, especially the real estate financing (loan and mortgage) specialists openly created remortgage and refinance products, lending homeowners more than the actual value of their properties and more than they can afford. Resulting into the collapse of the market and the eventual free fall, the US crash sent the world into a recession affecting economies worldwide, sending the highly globalized trade into a standstill. The result: unemployment in major economies, market free fall, loss of jobs, instability and bankruptcy of developing third world nations on the verge, civil unrest and political instability. The G20 meeting organized by Gordon Brown in London today was attended by world leaders concerned in the state of the market. ...

Solution provided by:
Education
  • MPhil/PhD (IP), Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • MA, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • Certificate, Geva Ulpan (via Universita Tel Aviv)
  • BA, University of the Philippines
Recent Feedback
  • "Thank you!:)"
  • "Excellent, thank you!:)"
  • "Thank you for your timely help. I have submitted another posting (656038) and assigned it directly to you. Please help."
  • "Thank you so much for your timely help. Much appreciated."
  • "Thanks so much for your support."
Purchase this Solution


Free BrainMass Quizzes
Descartes Meditations on First Philosophy

Short quiz relating to Descartes

The World Health Organization

This quiz assesses the students knowledge about the World Health Organization. Although listed under “Philosophy” it is relevant to health care, political science, pre-med, and social scientist students as well.