The Establishment
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The Establishment is a dominant group or élite that holds power or authority in a nation or in an organisation. It may comprise a closed social group which selects its own members, or specific entrenched élite structures, either in government or in specific institutions.
The American Sociological Association states that the term is often used by those protesting a small group that dominates a larger organisation. For example, in 1968, a group of academics formed the "Sociology Liberation Movement" (SLM) in order to repudiate the leadership of the American Sociological Association itself, which the SLM referred to as the "Establishment in American sociology".
In fact, one can refer to any relatively small class or group of people that can exercise control as The Establishment. Conversely, in the jargon of sociology, anyone who does not belong to The Establishment may be labelled an "outsider" (as opposed to an "insider").
Anti-authoritarian and anti-establishment ideologies tend to paint establishments as illegitimate.
See also
- Anti-establishment
- Cabal
- Collusion
- Cronyism
- Deep State
- Elitism
- Established church
- Iron law of oligarchy
- Liberal elite
- Military-industrial complex
- New World Order
- Political class
- Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland between the 17th and the early 20th centuries
- Power elite
- The Man
- Zionist Occupation Government conspiracy theory
