power elite
noun
a closely knit alliance of military, government, and corporate officials perceived as the center of wealth and political power in the U.S.
Origin of power elite
First recorded in 1950–55
Words nearby power elite
power cut,
power dive,
power down,
power dressing,
power drill,
power elite,
power factor,
power forward,
power kiting,
power line,
power loading
Cultural definitions for power elite
power elite
A term used by the American sociologist (see sociology) C. Wright Mills to describe a relatively small, loosely knit group of people who tend to dominate American policymaking. This group includes bureaucratic, corporate, intellectual, military, and government elites who control the principal institutions in the United States and whose opinions and actions influence the decisions of the policymakers.