Elite Deviance

by Simon, David R.

• ISBN13: 9780205321766
• ISBN10: 0205321763
• Edition: 7th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-01-01
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon

Summary

The only text in this area that takes a holistic view, Elite Deviance traces the causes of elite deviance to the structure of power and wealth in the United States. Elite Deviance includes both criminal and non-criminal elite acts that cause great harm. Unique in its scope, Elite Deviance covers not only corporate crime and political corruption in historical and contemporary contexts, but also the relationship between the two. Students will enjoy the many interesting and current examples and case studies that reinforce all major theoretical points in the book. Professors will appreciate the holistic, structural approach.

Table of Contents

Preface	xi
The Nature of Elite Deviance	1	(46)
Scandal-Plagued America: The Clinton Years as Metaphor	1	(12)
Scandals within the Economic Sphere	9	(4)
A Theory of Elite Deviance	13	(20)
The U.S. Social Structure: The Power Elite	14	(6)
Economy-State Linkages and the Functions of Government	20	(9)
Benefits That Elites Seek from the State	29	(1)
The Higher Immorality and Links between Various Kinds of Crime	30	(3)
The Classification of Elite Deviance	33	(5)
Acts of Economic Domination	36	(1)
Crimes of Government and Governmental Control	37	(1)
Elite Deviance as a Denial of Basic Human Rights	37	(1)
Conditions Leading to Elite Deviance	38	(1)
Consequences of Elite Deviance	39	(1)
Conclusion	40	(1)
Critical Thinking Exercise 1.1	41	(1)
Endnotes	41	(6)
Elite Deviance and the Higher Immorality	47	(44)
The Nature of the Higher Immorality	47	(8)
Case Study: The Savings and Loan Scandal	48	(7)
The Higher Immorality and the Political Economy	55	(16)
Corporate Compensation: Salaries, Taxes, and Perks	55	(3)
Welfare for the Well-Off: Tax Breaks	58	(1)
The Asset Depletion Range	59	(1)
Taxes and Multinational Corporations	60	(1)
Misappropriated Charity: Foundations	60	(2)
Royalties for the Rich: Subsidies	62	(3)
The Creation of Crisis	65	(4)
Antitrust Laws	69	(2)
The Higher Immorality and Corporate Crime	71	(4)
Penalties: The Double Standard	73	(1)
Public Awareness	74	(1)
Organized Crime and the Business Elite	75	(9)
Organized Crime and Repression	75	(3)
Organized Crime and Profits	78	(4)
Organized Crime and the Political Elite	82	(2)
Conclusion	84	(1)
Critical Thinking Exercise 2.1	85	(1)
Endnotes	86	(5)
Corporate Deviance: Monopoly, Manipulation, and Fraud	91	(30)
Costs of Corporate Crime	91	(1)
Penalties for Corporate Crime	92	(1)
Monopolies	93	(7)
The Corporate Frankenstein	94	(3)
Case Study: The Automobile Industry	97	(3)
Price-Fixing	100	(4)
Case Study: The Electrical Conspiracy	102	(2)
Price Gouging	104	(5)
Taking Advantage of the Disadvantaged	105	(1)
Taking Advantage of Unusual Events	106	(1)
Making Extraordinary Profits through Deception	107	(2)
Deceptive Advertising	109	(4)
Fraud	113	(2)
Conclusion	115	(1)
Critical Thinking Exercise 3.1	116	(1)
Endnotes	117	(4)
Corporate Deviance: Human Jeopardy	121	(37)
Individual Jeopardy	121	(21)
Unsafe Products	121	(4)
Food Pollution	125	(8)
The Tobacco Industry	133	(3)
Dangerous Working Conditions	136	(6)
Collective Jeopardy	142	(10)
Wasting Resources	142	(4)
Polluting the Environment	146	(6)
Conclusion	152	(1)
Critical Thinking Exercise 4.1	153	(1)
Endnotes	154	(4)
National Defense, Multinational Corporations, and Human Rights	158	(37)
The Military-Industrial Complex	160	(14)
The Defense Establishment and Its Origins	160	(4)
Defense Contract Practices	164	(6)
Consequences of Defense Policies	170	(2)
The New Global Economy	172	(2)
Deviance and Multinational Corporations	174	(5)
Government Policy	176	(1)
Dumping Toxic Waste	177	(2)
Human Rights, Multinationals, and U.S. Foreign Policy	179	(11)
Iran	183	(2)
Latin America	185	(2)
Chile	187	(1)
Assessing U.S. Support	188	(2)
Conclusion	190	(1)
Critical Thinking Exercise 5.1	191	(1)
Endnotes	191	(4)
Political Corruption: Continuity and Change	195	(37)
Money and Politics	195	(21)
Purchasing Goods and Services	196	(2)
Public Funds	198	(1)
Public Property	199	(1)
Tax Assessment and Collection	200	(1)
Regulation of Commercial Activities	200	(1)
Zoning and Land Use	201	(1)
The Legislative Process	202	(4)
Law Enforcement	206	(5)
The Organization of Power	211	(5)
Corruption and Power	216	(12)
The Powerful Controlling the Powerless	216	(4)
Election Fraud	220	(1)
Unfair Campaign Conduct	221	(3)
Money in Elections	224	(2)
Watergate	226	(2)
Conclusion	228	(1)
Critical Thinking Exercise 6.1	228	(1)
Endnotes	229	(3)
Political Deviance	232	(31)
Domestic Political Deviance	232	(20)
Secrecy, Lying, and Deception	232	(7)
Abuse of Power by Government Agencies	239	(3)
Political Prisoners	242	(4)
Official Violence	246	(6)
International Crimes	252	(4)
U.S. Intervention in the Domestic Affairs of Other Nations	252	(2)
War Crimes	254	(2)
Conclusion	256	(1)
Critical Thinking Exercise 7.1	257	(1)
Endnotes	258	(5)
Understanding Elite Deviance	263	(33)
Why Elite Deviance?	263	(1)
Elite Deviance and the Sociological Imagination: A Paradigm for Analysis	264	(7)
Elite Deviance and American Values: The American Dream	265	(2)
Social Structure: The Dominance of Elite Institutions	267	(4)
Characteristics of Bureaucratic Structures	271	(4)
Centralization of Authority	271	(1)
Specialized Vocabularies and Ideologies	272	(3)
Fragmentation and Routinization of Tasks	275	(1)
Image Construction and Inauthenticity	275	(3)
Front Activities	275	(2)
Elite Deviance and ``Individual'' Characteristics	277	(1)
Organizational Conditions and the Production of Deviant Personalities	278	(3)
Links between Elite Deviance and Nonelite Deviance	281	(2)
Tangible Links	281	(1)
Symbolic Links	282	(1)
Elite Deviance and Victimization	283	(3)
Constructionist and Objectivist Positions on Elite Deviance	286	(3)
Conclusion	289	(2)
Critical Thinking Exercise 8.1	291	(1)
Endnotes	292	(4)
The Scandalization of America Higher Immorality in an Era of Greed	296	(23)
Watergate	300	(2)
Iran---Contra	302	(6)
Early Involvement with Iran	303	(1)
Diverting Funds to the Contras	304	(1)
The Scandal: Contragate	305	(1)
The Nugan-Hand Bank Affair	305	(1)
The Iran-Contra Conspiracy---``Operation Polecat``	306	(1)
Connections and Conspiracies	306	(2)
Contragate and the Changing Nature of American Power and Corruption	308	(1)
Characteristics of Contemporary Scandal	309	(5)
The Study of Elite Deviance	314	(1)
Conclusion	314	(2)
Critical Thinking Exercise 9.1	316	(1)
Endnotes	316	(3)
Epilogue: Economic Democracy A Proposal to Transform Society	319	(26)
Basic Assumptions	320	(2)
General Principles	322	(2)
The Planks of a Social Democratic Platform	324	(7)
Implementing Economic Democracy	331	(3)
Elite Deviance and Economic Democracy	334	(6)
Sources	340	(3)
Publications	340	(1)
Books	340	(1)
Organizations	341	(2)
Endnotes	343	(2)
Name Index	345	(12)
Subject Index	357