Political science - The Elites - Essay Example

Elites The elites usually have an advantage over the other people in the society. As a result, they enjoy some privileges at the expense of the public. They are endowed with much power, which may be physical, spiritual, intellectual, or financial. In the political arena, the elites usually act as leaders to other people and there is usually a clear distinction between them and the other persons (Hoffman 277). Due to their privileges, persons lower in capacity than them usually aspire to attain such positions.

When holding their positions, the elites usually frame the legal framework in a way such that it offers protection to their property. In such cases, the laws do not address the needs of the public, which usually leads to conflicts. This is clearly demonstrated by the numerous protests by various groups of people concerning their oppression. A good example is the American constitution, which was founded on the interests of the elites. As a result, it was not pleasant to the majority of the population, which brought forth the necessity for quick intervention by the elites.

The intervention used in this case was the passage of the civil rights act of 1964, which was very good in reducing the oppression and discrimination of the minority and oppressed groups of people but also had hidden ideas (Hasday 96). In this case, the elites used it as a base for winning support from the public thus stabilizing their base of control and influence.Through the influence, the elites usually affect the public’s point of view. In the initial stages after airing their views, the public usually falls for their view.

This does not last for long as they later realizes that they were taken advantage of by the elites. Since the elites usually have access to the resources, they usually use them to win their support (Chase, D and Chase, A 20). A good example is in the case of feminist movement as outlined by Ryan. In this case, despite the women forming a larger part of the population, they were observed to be less privileged. Having got a clear understanding of this, the elites used the power and resources available to them and put into place laws that empowered them.

This is evident in the grievances of the women who were among the founders of women’s movement, which was formed in 1848. Through their hard work and dedication, the group expanded and had good coverage in various areas. Despite this, they did not get national support, which raises questions to the reason behind the lack of support. Through the protest raised against them, the elites usually get a clear understanding of the grievances of the public. In ensuring that everything is contained as per their plans, they usually target the leaders of the protest so that they can effectively win them into their side (Zeigler, Schubert and Dye 321).

This is usually conducted under very high consideration in order to ensure that they do not receive critics. By doing so, they usually propagate their interest under the umbrella of concessions. Works CitedChase, Diane and Chase, Arlen. Mesoamerican Elites: An Archaeological Assessment. Norman, USA: University of Oklahoma Press, 2003. Print.Hasday, Judy. The Civil Rights Act of 1964: An End to Racial Segregation. New York: InfoBase Publishing, 2007. Print.Hoffman, Martin. Empathy and Moral Development: Implications for Caring and Justice.

Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, 2001. Print.Zeigler, Harmon, Schubert Louis, and Dye Thomas. The Irony of Democracy: An Uncommon Introduction to American Politics. Stamford, Connecticut, US: Cengage Learning, 2011. Print.