[lbo-talk] ruling class

[Jim Devine]

On 3/29/06, Doug Henwood <dhenwood at panix.com> wrote:
> Miles Jackson wrote:
>
> >That's what Mills would call the "economic sector" of the power
> >elite. (Jim provided a nice synopsis of Mills upthread).  The more I
> >think about this, the more I agree with Mills that the term "ruling
> >class" is not very useful.
>
> Call me a dinosaur, but under capitalism, I think the "economic
> sector" is the ultimate power. Yes, I'll accept qualifications for
> partial state autonomy, "in the last instance," first among equals,
> etc. etc. But no so many that the fundamental nature of class rule is
> obscured. So ruling class is all right by me.

the Mills bit wasn't my synopsis. It was a direct quote.

As I've said, I think that "ruling class" is a useful phrase. But that
class involves competing elites, including the one that's in power
right now.
--
Jim Devine / "There can be no real individual freedom in the presence
of economic insecurity." -- Chester Bowles