Merging Domains of the Power Elite: US Politics and Oil

By Anonymous

By Cynthia Oyarce


 According to C. Wright Mills, the power elite refer to individuals whose positions allow them to transcend the influence of ordinary people. In other words, their decisions (and lack of decisions) have major consequences on society at large, especially when compared to the decision-making of the average person. There are three main areas in which the American power elite reside: the economic domain, the military domain, and the political domain. As "the typical institutional unit has become enlarged, has become administrative, and . . . has become centralized" within the big three, increased cooperation has also emerged between the three sectors (Mills 2002:7).

The picture above shows Rex W. Tillerson, former chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, giving welcoming remarks during his first day as the U.S. Secretary of State. The economic influence of big oil is no secret, as oil executives have had a role to play in political decisions for decades. However, the willingness to let this connection be seen by the public has increased over the years. As the Secretary of State under the Trump administration, Tillerson was responsible for foreign policy decisions. Considering his former ties with countries such as Saudi Arabia and Russia, one has to wonder about the extent to which Tillerson's policies were influenced by oil economics. Tillerson's public role as a high-ranking government official is a clear indicator of the unification of the economic and political domains, which points to Mills' claim that the three main domains will coordinate their actions in order to realize their shared interests.



Works Referenced

Mills, C. Wright. 2002. The Power Elite. London, UK: Oxford. 

U.S. Department of State from United States - Secretary Tillerson Delivers Welcome Remarks to State Department Employees on his First Day, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55844748


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