Celebs and the Power Elite

By Anonymous

 Secrets of the Illuminati: The Top-Secret Society With Plans to Rule the World

By Kate Beck

Mills describes the Power Elite as the people at the top of economic, political, and military domains who have the capacity to make large-scale, national decisions. “They are in command of the major hierarchies and organizations of modern society” (Mills [1956] 2000: 4). Mills discusses the way that people perceive the Power Elite, such as “omnipotent,” possessing a “great hidden design” or even a “secular substitute for the will of God” (Mills [1956] 2000: 16). Although Mills somewhat rejects the notion that the Power Elite is some secret society responsible for every decision, he expresses some worry about the gravity of their decision-making powers. 


Today, conspiracy theorists believe there is an “all-powerful sect” with plans to “rule the world” (Spyscape) known as the Illuminati. Celebrities like Beyonce and Jay-Z, politicians like Joe Biden and the Clintons, and leaders of the economic order like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk are all presumed to be a part of this all-powerful group. This image of Beyonce is very popular among these conspiracy websites about the Illuminati. Conspiracy theorists, however, focus much more on which celebrities are in the Illuminati and less so on the political, economic, and military order. Although we can chalk up conspiracy theorists who believe in the Illuminati as impractical, delusional, or paranoid, they are grappling with the same concerns and questions that Mills does in the Power Elite. Trying to understand the power that some individuals hold seems mysterious and out of reach. Furthermore, there can be fear associated with their power. Although Mills’ understanding of the Power Elite significantly differs from the Illuminati, conspiracy theorists do bring up an interesting observation, what about celebrities? 


Since 1956, celebrities have had much more power in society. If Mills rewrote the power elite today, how do you think he would interpret celebrities within the Power Elite? 



Spyscape. n.d. “Secrets of the Illuminati: The Top-Secret Society with Plans to Rule the World.” SPYSCAPE. (https://spyscape.com/article/mysteries-of-the-illuminati-the-secret-rulers-of-the-world). 

Weber, M., & Bermingham, C. R. 2003. “Authority and Autonomy in Marriage: Translation with Introduction and Commentary.” Sociological Theory, 21(2), 85–102. 

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