May I recommend that Pen-l folks take a serious look at a new book by a friend and colleague. Paul Kivel's book is not only an excellent description of the ruling elite and how it rules but is also focused on empowering people by looking at organizing possibilities. I've already put it on reserve for my classes.
David Landes Economics, City College of San Francisco You call this a DEMOCRACY? Who Benefits, Who Pays and Who Really Decides? BY PAUL KIVEL ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALBERTO LEDESMA New from THE APEX PRESS 777 United Nations Plaza Suite 3C New York, NY 10017 Phone/Fax: 1-800-316-2739 A PENETRATING LOOK AT THE U.S. RULING CLASS-a rich and powerful portion of the population who own tremendous amounts of wealth and who benefit from the way that decisions get made in this country.A look as well at an even smaller group, the power elite-7,000 to 10,000 (predominately)white men-who make many of the decisions that affect our everyday lives. Most of the time they decide, they and ruling class benefit, and we pay in our wages, our taxes, our health, the quality of our housing, and often with our lives. The book is carefully researched and referenced, and filled with numerous examples and illustrations. It is an indispensable resource for every person concerned about the undemocratic concentration of wealth and power in our society. Advance Praise PAUL KIVEL HAS DONE IT AGAIN by exploding another myth about our troubled land-the nation that we Americans call "middle class." Instead he shows us how we are ruled by a handful of top dogs and what we must do if we want to get those dogs out of our lives. Hurray! - Jim Hightower, author of Let's Stop Beating Around the Bush and other works of political subversion PAUL KIVEL'S COURAGE to identify the structure of the ruling class and the impact of its power is a gift to all of us who seek justice and equality. This book should be a required text in classrooms throughout the country. - Suzanne Pharr, author of In the Time of the Right: Reflections on Liberation and former director of the Highlander Research and Education Center PAUL KIVEL HAS WRITTEN AN ACCESSIBLE FIELD GUIDE to our country's power elite-and how they rule the rest of us. ...All citizens should read this book to better understand the powerful forces that distort our democracy and misshape the quality of our lives in a thousand different ways. - Chuck Collins, co-author (with Bill Gates, Sr.) of Wealth and Our Commonwealth and co-founder of United for a Fair Economy Paul Kivel is an activist, trainer, writer, and violence prevention educator. His Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Racial Justice won the Gustavus Myers Award for best human rights book in 1996. You call this a DEMOCRACY? Who Benefits, Who Pays and Who Really Decides? BY PAUL KIVEL CONTENTS Preface Where Are You in the Class System? Introduction A Short History of the U.S. Ruling Class What Is a Ruling Class? What Does the Economic Structure of the U.S. Look Like? Why Does Wealth Matter? How Do They Rule? The Constitution, Corporations and the Courts How Does the Power Elite Communicate? How Do They Stay in Power? How Do Members of the Ruling Class Increase Their Wealth? Preserving Their Wealth Passing on Their Wealth Protecting Themselves and Their Families Financially Protecting Their Power How Do Members of the Ruling Class Feel About Being Rich? Why Don't We See Them? The Ruling Class and the Buffer Zone Philanthropy Why We Don't Focus Attention on the Ruling Class: The Role of the Mass Media Distractions Who Decides? Who Benefits? Who Pays? Which Side Are You On? Assessing Public Policy Issues and Political Candidates Beyond Survival-Getting Together Resistance Globalize Hope Resources Endnotes, Glossary, Bibliography, Videography, Magazines, Organizations and Website Resources Index >>You call this a DEMOCRACY? >> >>ORDER FORM >> Please send the following number of copies of You Call This a Democracy? >> >>_______ cop(y)ies @ $17.95 ea. (paperback) $____________ >> >>_______ cop(y)ies @ $29.95 ea. (hardcover) $____________ >> >>Add shipping ($4 for the 1st book; $1 each additional book) >>$____________ >> >>TOTAL ENCLOSED $____________ >> >>____Enclosed is my check/money order in the amount above. >> >>____Charge my: ____Visa ____MasterCard ____ American Express >>___Discover >> >>Card Number:___________________________________________ Expiration >>Date:_________ >> >>Signature:_______________________________________________ Phone >>Number:_________________________________ >> >>SHIP TO: Name________________________________________ >>Address:_______________________________________ >> >>City:_____________________________________________________ >>State:_______________ZIP:____________ >> >>Please complete the order form and send to: The Apex Press, P.O. >>Box 337, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520 >> >>PhoPhonePPhone/Fax: 1-800-316-2739Phone/Fax: >>1-800-316-2739Phone/Fax: 1-800-316-2739OWER __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - 50x more storage than other providers! http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail
