381 pagesThis study is an attempt to increase our understanding of the class
structure and political economy of the United States, through a detailed
examination of one extended family of great wealth. Focusing on a single
case, the study analyzes the multigenerational and inter-institutional
linkages of this kinship group. Through use of a genealogy, kinship
ties are traced through five generations. The genealogy also provides a
medium for identifying the family's links to corporations, foundations,
political processes, and institutions of the upper class. By demonstrating
how one wealthy family coordinates its activities for the purpose of
maintaining its social and economic position in society, this study
suggests that other upper class families may operate in a similar manner.
The study will show how the family, through a variety of institutions,
coordinates its activities. The Family Office, the annual Family Meeting,
various foundations, and several holding companies are examined as mechanisms
of internal cohesiveness and of external control over other institutions.
The potential for external control and influence also extends
itself to several large corporations, to trade associations, the candidate
selection process, churches, and schools
