Autonomous Quote by C. Wright Mills
“The economy - once a great scatter of small productive units in autonomous balance, has become dominated by two or three hundred giant corporations, administratively and politically interrelated... The political order, once a decentralized set of several dozen states with a weak spinal cord, has become a centralized executive establishment which has taken up into itself many powers previously scattered... The military order, once a slim establishment in a context of distrust fed by state militia, has become the largest and most expensive feature of government.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Power Elite, C. Wright Mills, 1956
The passage critiques the concentration of economic, political, and military power into a few large entities, eroding decentralized balance and autonomy.
In simple terms: Power is now concentrated in few large corporations and governments.
Key Takeaway
Promote decentralization and local autonomy.
Themes
power
centralization
decentralization
politics
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
political
economic
When to use this quote
- small business support
- local governance
- policy reform
- citizen activism
Key Concepts
political economy
elite theory
Questions to Reflect On
- What mechanisms can rebalance power?
- How can citizens influence large institutions?
A Different Perspective
It may understate benefits of scale and coordination.
