Final answer:
The influence of monetary contributions on elections is a contentious issue, magnified by Supreme Court rulings like Citizens United, which allows unlimited corporate and union funding to PACs, raising concerns over the impact on democracy and the role of the average citizen in the political process.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question regarding whether monetary contributions have too much influence on elections is rooted in the debate over campaign finance and its impact on the political process. The landmark Supreme Court decision in Citizens United versus the Federal Election Commission, which ruled that corporate and union contributions to Political Action Committees (PACs) are a form of free speech and cannot be limited, has magnified concerns that wealthy individuals and entities can exercise disproportionate influence over election outcomes and policy decisions. The distinction between a candidate using personal wealth for their campaign versus receiving large contributions is based on the principle of preserving the average citizen's influence in elections. Furthermore, studies such as Modernization theory have sought to investigate the relationship between economic factors and political structures but have not conclusively established a causal link.