Final answer:
A dominant group secures excessive access to resources and privileges, holding authority, commanding respect, and influencing societal norms. Internationally, a hegemon can extend its influence and access to goods, reinforcing its position. The consolidation of power includes benefits like white privilege and heritage wealth, reinforcing the hierarchy.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a dominant group's position is secure at the top of a power hierarchy, resources and privileges are disproportionately available to them. This group is more likely to hold roles of authority and command respect. For example, families like the Kennedys in the United States, who have a tradition of prominence in politics, demonstrate the effect of entrenched authority that often coincides with class and race. Additionally, those with greater power, such as corporate leaders or the upper class, make decisions that can affect the job status of millions, holding significant influence over societal norms and realities.
In the context of international relations, a unipolar system where one hegemonic state dictates the rules can lead to such a state extending its own access to goods and services that it does not produce, the so-called comparative advantage. As a result, the dominant group or hegemon can effectively shape cultural, economic, and political structures to its own advantage, further consolidating its position at the top.
Lastly, the dominant group enjoys benefits such as white privilege or inherited wealth, which allows them to live in exclusive environments, further separating them from less powerful groups. This imbalance can perpetuate through generations, with the dominant group maintaining its hegemony across various sectors.