As the author, Mills constructs a sociological argument about the distribution of power in the US in the 1950s. Based on extensive research that includes observations, interviews, the use of primary sources to research wealthy families and social registers, institutional analysis, and the citation of multiple secondary sources, Mills posits the existence of a power elite that makes the most consequential decisions in American society. This elite class operates nationally through key institutions: the military, large corporations, and the executive branch of the national government. It has displaced local power centers. Mills explores the nature of those in the top positions of these institutions, highlighting the similarities in their socialization and the crossover of personnel from one sector to the other.

Mills argues that this elite class of individuals has a consciousness of its belonging and recognizes one another. In making this argument, Mills challenges conventional wisdom in several ways. He denies the role of elections in shaping policy, arguing that Congress operates at a middle level of power and that political parties are local only. Despite democratic rhetoric, an elite tier makes the important decisions in the US.