Meet the New Boss: “The Establishment” in 1960s and 70s American Thought

Abstract

Throughout the 1960s and early 70s the phrase “the Establishment” gained salience in American political and popular discourse. Referring to an unseen group of elites that had their hand in decision making, the phrase was wielded by both the political right and left. “The Establishment” permeated society in such a way that by the end of the 1970s the term was a common part of the vernacular. This thesis argues that the term “the Establishment,” gained prominence because of its overall utility during the considerable political and social change that occurred during the period.