Economic elites exert the largest independent influence on U.S. policy.

Evidence

By contrast, economic elites are estimated to have a quite substantial, highly significant, independent impact on policy. This does not mean that theories of Economic-Elite Domination are wholly upheld, since our results indicate that individual elites must share their policy influence with organized interest groups. Still, economic elites stand out as quite influential—more so than any other set of actors studied here—in the making of U.S. public policy. — Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Testing Theories of American Politics, 91

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Average citizens have little independent influence on U.S. policy relative to economic elites. — Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Testing Theories of American Politics:…, 1; Economic elites dominate US policy while average citizens exert little influence — Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Testing Theories of American Politics:…, 11; U.S. policy responds to elites and interest groups, not the public. — Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Testing Theories of American Politics:…, 93 (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• U.S. policy responds to elites and interest groups, not the public. #expands (0.90) — Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Testing Theories of American Politics, 93
• Affluent Americans shape policy adoption far more than interest-group support does. #expands (0.88) — Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Testing Theories of American Politics, 98
• Ordinary citizens hold little independent influence over U.S. policy #expands (0.82)
• Elite superiority in policymaking should be tested empirically, not assumed #qualifies (0.75) — Martin Gilens and Benjamin I. Page, Testing Theories of American Politics, 141