The Power Elite (1956) and the JFK Assassination

[Bernice Moore]

brings to mind..........“We've unmasked madmen, Watson, wielding scepters. Reason run riot. Justice howling at the moon.” -Sherlock Holmes, Murder by Decree ...b.

[Richard Hocking]

In another thread, Bernice posted information about govt censorship of the news. 6 corporations now own the vast majority of the news media. Who owns the controlling interest in these corporations?

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=19332

These corporations determine how the JFK assassination will be covered by the mainstream media.

[Paul Trejo]

In 1956 C. Wright Mills published "The Power Elite". He argued that the United States was controlled not by the mass of its citizens as described by democratic theory, but by a wealthy Anglo-Saxon Protestant elite from Ivy League schools. In a series of caustic reviews, critics denied that there was such an elite.

Two questions: (1) Do you agree in the Power Elite theory? (2) If so, did it play an important role in the cover-up of the assassination of JFK?

Two responses:

(1) The Power Elite that Mills defined in 1956 is not the same as the Power Elite in 2012. Mills was using data accumulated through the 1940's, but already in the 1950's the wealthy WASP elite from Ivy League schools were no longer the sole members of the Power Elite, because US power was shifting radically to Texas.

That is, the Rockefeller power-base of the 1950's was already being undermined by his employees who saw the future of oil, discovered oil in Texas, and then moved to Texas en masse. H.L. Hunt is a good example among many. Big banks followed them. Dallas was born.

The wealth of the USA shifted to the South, suddenly, but the Ivy League schools did not shift there.

Furthermore, population shifted amongst American Protestants (with their famous work-ethic), insofar as Anglo-Saxons became a minority in the USA for the first time, while Germans and Irish Americans became the new majority. This was nearly invisible to the naked eye, but it was sorely felt by the Power Elite on the Eastern seaboard that Mills spoke about. By the 1960's, the British ideals of the Power Elite were no longer USA ideals.

Part of the reason for this is that German-Americans formed (and still form) the majority of Texans in 1960. This was a major sociological evolution, yet I repeat, it was invisible to the naked eye. White Protestants continued to rule, but they weren't WASP, and they weren't educated in Ivy League schools for the most part. (The stage was being set for 'Dubya.')

Thus, it was a novelty, but not particularly surprising when an Irish-American became President of the USA in 1960.

(2) Did the Power Elite of 1963 have a role in the assassination of JFK? No, I believe that was accomplished by paramilitary forces that resonated with much older Power Elites that were sentimental about the good old days of Woodrow Wilson.

So, did the Power Elite of 1963 have a role in the coverup of the JFK assassination? Yes, I think so. Seeing the mistake of the antique Power Elite in its over-zealous fear of the Cold War, the Power Elite of 1963 decided to avoid a US Civil War during the Cold War (i.e. National Security crisis) by hiding at all costs the very-well-known accomplices of Lee Harvey Oswald in 1963.

Best regards,

--Paul Trejo

Edited July 25, 2012 by Paul Trejo

[Mike Rago]

The main stream media has the power to make hero's out of goats and goats out of hero's. And "it" has done exactly that in the JFK assassination.

"It" has learned how to sell public opinions and not just toothpaste and "it" does it quite regularly.

Edited July 25, 2012 by Mike Rago

[Calvin Ye]

On 7/25/2012 at 5:30 AM, Richard Hocking said:

In another thread, Bernice posted information about govt censorship of the news. 6 corporations now own the vast majority of the news media. Who owns the controlling interest in these corporations?

http://educationforum.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=19332

These corporations determine how the JFK assassination will be covered by the mainstream media.

According to Victor Perlo's research, Wall Street financiers and wealthy families own and control financial interests in corporations

Edited April 5, 2021 by Calvin Ye

[Calvin Ye]

The book Empire of high finance stated that the details of Mill's book show the real dominance of the financial oligarchy

[Guest]

C.Wright Mills book “The Power Elite” speaks volumes. It tells us all we need to know. 

[Ron Bulman]

23 minutes ago, Chris Barnard said:

C.Wright Mills book “The Power Elite” speaks volumes. It tells us all we need to know. 

Maybe not all.  I think there is an article on Kennedy's and King where I read about him and the book as I've not read it.  One post in this thread mentions Mills not addressing the role of the media and The Power Elite's owning of it.  Interesting thread until you get to PT.

[Calvin Ye]

16 minutes ago, Ron Bulman said:

Maybe not all.  I think there is an article on Kennedy's and King where I read about him and the book as I've not read it.  One post in this thread mentions Mills not addressing the role of the media and The Power Elite's owning of it.  Interesting thread until you get to PT.

Ron, have you read Victor Perlo's book Empire of High Finance?

Edited April 6, 2021 by Calvin Ye

[Guest]

32 minutes ago, Ron Bulman said:

Maybe not all.  I think there is an article on Kennedy's and King where I read about him and the book as I've not read it.  One post in this thread mentions Mills not addressing the role of the media and The Power Elite's owning of it.  Interesting thread until you get to PT.

I think you’re right Ron, C.Wright Mills addressed his perception, and there was a wider picture.