This work investigates the core question of where political power truly resides in twentieth-century America, challenging the conventional narrative of pluralism. Walter Karp, a political journalist and historian, utilizes a critical framework to argue that the American political system is characterized by a deliberate, systemic misrule maintained by a bipartisan elite. He contends that the two major political parties function as a unified entity to suppress genuine democratic participation and maintain the status quo.

Readers frequently note the provocative and cynical tone of the prose, which challenges standard academic interpretations of American governance. Experts often highlight this text as a significant, albeit controversial, critique of the bipartisan consensus in modern political history.