Elite Theory
1. A “stable” group: The economic elite model posits a
unified and wealthy class of individuals possessing a
dominant influence during numerous decision points in
the policy process and remaining uninhibited by any
larger social or political influences (Gonzalez, 2001).
2. Impermeable:
3. Apathetic Citizens: Argues that democracy functions
when you have a degree of apathy, and elites are the
ones participating the most (voting, running for office).
4. Identifiable/Cohesive Elite
Pluralism
-Understand American society to be composed of a complex set of groups and
it is the competition and bargaining among and between these many
groups that is the essence of the political process.
-When we, as individuals, want to influence politics and policy, we generally do
not do it on an individual basis.
-Any and all groups in society can have their views heard and considered at
some point in the policymaking process.
-The government acts merely as a referee over the group competition and
declares the winner (by rewarding them with policy or policy influence).
-According to pluralist theory, political resources are diffuse and therefore a
variety of interest groups have an opportunity to utilize these resources
and compete with other interest groups for policy attention.
Who Governs?: Robert Dahl:
Robert Dahl conducted a study of New Haven, Connecticut,
and was interested in “Who Governs?”
Dahl found that New Haven was once an elitist city. But, over
time it gave way to pluralism, such that different groups were
active in different policy areas.
Even within a policy area, there were competing groups.
Nonetheless, it was organized interests that drove the policy
process.
Dahl’s theory rests on five assumptions:
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people know their interests
people collectively organize to further their interests,
equal access to political institutions exists across groups,
the government represents those interests,
and the outcome of government action reflects the inputs of interests.
The Urban Regime
Definition: The informal arrangements by which public bodies and
private interests function together in order to be able to make and
carry out governing decisions
Critical Questions: (1) who makes up the governing coalition? (2) How
is coming together [cooperation] accomplished?
The Importance of Informal
Arrangements
The participants
Participants: influenced by two basic institutional
principles of American political economy: (1)
popular control of the formal machinery of
government and (2) private ownership of
business enterprise
What does this mean?
Cooperation within the Regime
Why do we need cooperation?
– Business elites need government authority
for some projects. Examples?
– Public needs the slack resources that
businesses have.
Achieving cooperation is a major
accomplishment and requires constant
effort
How is cooperation done?
Rational Choice/Game theory
Tit for Tat (repeated interactions)
Selective Incentives (preventing free-riders)
Factors in the success of cooperation:
Culture: language, common identity
Size: larger groups harder to form
Ramifications of Unequal
Resources
“Votes count but resources decide”
Which groups will be included in the
“governing coalition”?
The Atlanta Case? San Francisco? Detroit?
Implications of Regime
Theory
The importance of looking beyond election
results when we seek to find out who
governs.
Business elite occupy a privileged position in
the regime