Family Policy:
Interest Group, Elite, and
Systems Theories
Zimmerman, S. L. (1995). Interest
group theory, elite theory, and systems
theory. In S. L. Zimmerman,
Understanding family policy (2nd ed.,
pp. 142-170). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage Publications.
Interest Group Theory
 Assumptions (p. 143):
 Groups exert the primary influence on
government matters that affect families.
 Group struggle and conflict characterize all
meaningful political activity.
 The important determinants of group influnece
are
membership size,
wealth,
organizational strength,
cohesion,
and access to decision makers.
 Group equilibrium is mantained through
compromise,
negotiation,
bargaining,
overlapping memberships,
formation of coalitions.
Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson
Assumptions of Elite Theory
 “Policies and programs reflect the values
and interests of elites in a hierarchically
arranged society.”
 “Elites share a consensus concerning
existing institutional arrangements and
the values underlying them.”
 “The size and complexity of modern
society and organizational life not only
preclude the active and full participation
of everyone in the political process but
also require some division of labor.”
 The division of labor creates a class of
rulers or governing elites.
Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson
Types of Elite Theory
 Revolving Model: power is widely
dispersed to influence waxes and wanes.
 Fixed Model: power remains in the hands
of particular groups.
 Concentric Circles of Elites: power is
distributed in concentric circles.
 The general or inattentive public.
 The attentive public.
 The policy and opinion elites.
 The actors in the situation (i.e., elected
officials).
 Strategic Elites: people in roles of
influences such as appointed advisors or
heads of influential committees.
Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson
Assumptions of Family Policy as
Systems Output
 “Political life is a system of behavior.”
 “A system is distinguishable from the
environment in which it exists and is open to
influence from it.”
 “A political system is goal setting, selftransforming and adaptive, composed of human
beings who are capable of anticipating,
evaluating, and acting constructively to prevent
disturbances in the system’s environment.”
 System authorities seek to correct disturbances
that might be expected to cause system stress
in relation to system goals.
 “Variations in system processes and structures
represent alternative efforts by system
members to regulate or cope with stress flowing
from sources internal and external to the
system.”
 “The capacity of a system to survive in the face
of system stress is a function of the information
and feedback that return to system authorities
and other influences.”
Dr. Ronald J. Werner-Wilson