“The idea of the elite as composed of men and women having a finer moral character is an ideology of the elite.”

— C. Wright Mills , book The Power Elite

Source: The Power Elite (1956), p. 14.

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "The idea of the elite as composed of men and women having a finer moral character is an ideology of the elite." by C. Wright Mills?

C. Wright Mills 55

American sociologist 1916–1962

Related quotes

“Postmodernism is an academic theory, originating in academia with an academic elite, not in the world of women and men, where feminist theory is rooted.”

Catharine A. MacKinnon (1946) American feminist and legal activist

"Postmodernism and Human Rights" (2000), p. 62
Are Women Human?: and Other International Dialogues (2006)

“People are fed up with politicians who don't listen to them. Fed up with a corrupt system that benefits the elites instead of working men and women.”

Ted Cruz (1970) American politician

2010s, Speech at the Republican National Convention (July 20, 2016)

“Elitism is a typical aspect of any reactionary ideology, insofar as it is fundamentally aristocratic, and aristocratic and militaristic elitism cruelly implies contempt for the weak. Ur-Fascism can only advocate a popular elitism. Every citizen belongs to the best people of the world, the members of the party are the best among the citizens, every citizen can (or ought to) become a member of the party. But there cannot be patricians without plebeians.”

Umberto Eco (1932–2016) Italian semiotician, essayist, philosopher, literary critic, and novelist

Ur-Fascism (1995)
Context: Elitism is a typical aspect of any reactionary ideology, insofar as it is fundamentally aristocratic, and aristocratic and militaristic elitism cruelly implies contempt for the weak. Ur-Fascism can only advocate a popular elitism. Every citizen belongs to the best people of the world, the members of the party are the best among the citizens, every citizen can (or ought to) become a member of the party. But there cannot be patricians without plebeians. In fact, the Leader, knowing that his power was not delegated to him democratically but was conquered by force, also knows that his force is based upon the weakness of the masses; they are so weak as to need and deserve a ruler. Since the group is hierarchically organized (according to a military model), every subordinate leader despises his own underlings, and each of them despises his inferiors. This reinforces the sense of mass elitism.

“The artist creates his own elite, and the elite its own artists.”

E.H. Gombrich

Source: Art and Illusion: A Study in the Psychology of Pictorial Representation

“No matter how the conomy and sociology of the neighbouring sectors of the Galaxy changes, there was always an elite; and it is always the characteristic of an elite that it possesses leisure as the great reward of its elite-hood.”

Isaac Asimov book Second Foundation

Source: The Foundation series (1951–1993), Second Foundation (1953), Chapter 12 "Lord"

“A people is not capable of governing itself. It ought to be governed by its elite. Namely, through that category of men born within its bosom who possess certain aptitudes and specialties. Just as the bees raise their "queen" a people must raise its elite. The multitude likewise, in its needs, appeals to its elite, the wise of the state.”

Corneliu Zelea Codreanu (1899–1938) Romanian politician

For My Legionaries: The Iron Guard (1936), Politics

“Writing certainly develops as an elite initiative at this [ancient] time. It helps them to harness the workforce – it's a way of communicating with the gods; and it's a way for the elites to list what you have, and what they have.”

Richard Miles (historian) (1969) British historian and archaeologist

My bright idea: Civilisation is still worth striving for

“It’s quite clear that when you impose sanctions on a country that the population is going to suffer. It’s ridiculous to pretend that the sanctions are only going to affect the government elite. In fact, the government elite usually continues living rather well. It’s the most vulnerable – women, children – who have to pay for the consequences of these illegal sanctions.”

Alfred de Zayas (1947) American United Nations official

2020

“I want to say to the elite of this country—the elite news media, the liberal academic elite, the liberal political elite: I accuse you in Littleton and I accuse you in Kosovo of being afraid to talk about the mess you have made, and being afraid to take responsibility for things you have done, and instead foisting upon the rest of us pathetic banalities because you don't have the courage to look at the world you have created.”

Newt Gingrich (1943) Professor, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives

1999-05-12
Gingrich blasts administration, media and Hollywood on Kosovo and Littleton
Karla
Crosswhite-Chigbue
CNN
http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/05/12/gingrich/
regarding the 1999 Columbine High School massacre and Kosovo War
1990s

“Elites presuppose masses.”

Susan Sontag book Styles of Radical Will

Styles of Radical Will

“The idea of the elite as composed of men and women having a finer moral character is an ideology of the elite.”

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

C. Wright Mills 55

Related quotes

Related topics