The best
description of the reversal of fortune is Mary's Magnificat, recorded in
the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1, verses 46-55. "He hath put down the
mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree" (v. 52).
This
was a fundamental theme in the Old Testament. We are told that those
who hold their position by means of political power and corruption
always lose their position. They are always overthrown. They look
unbeatable. They are always defeated. The prophets of Israel came before
kings and commoners with this message. Isaiah 1 is a good example.
Isaiah even identified a major technique of the power elite: inflation.
"Thy silver has become dross, thy wine mixed with water" (Isa 1:22).
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
THE POWER ELITE
What
do I mean by the power elite? The phrase was coined by Leftist
sociologist C. Wright Mills in 1956. His book remains a classic. Its
main chapter is here. Liberal columnist Richard Rovere in 1956 called it the American Establishment.
Conservatives refer to it as the Insiders or the Conspiracy. David
Rothkopf, writing from inside, calls them the superclass. Sometimes they
are called the PTB: the Powers that Be. I think conservative journalist
and historian Otto Scott said it best: the behind-the-scenes fellows
who are too clever by half.
Showing posts with label Power Elite. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Power Elite. Show all posts
Sunday, March 10, 2013
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