Pluralism and Elitism
The Major Purposes of Government
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Resolving Conflicts
Providing Public Services
Setting Goals for Public Policies
Preserving Culture
Politics
• Lasswell:
– Who gets what, when and how.
• Lenin said politics was about "who could do what to whom"
Politics (Wasserman)
• How do people get others to do what they wish?
• How does our society distribute its valued things like wealth, prestige and security?
• Who gets these valued items and how?
A Little Historical Background: Two Conflicting Ideals
Elitism
• Caste or Class Elitism: Born Better
• Modern Elitism: Some people are better than others, either by birth, by choice, by effort, or by
nature.
• Elitists groups include:
– Country Clubs; NASCAR
– The NFL; The Miss America Pageant
– College Graduates
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Egalitarianism
• Colonial Egalitarianism:
• Self evident: All men are created equal…
– White, land owning males
– We have an equal say, and perhaps as Christians, equal value, but not necessarily
equal gifts or skills
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A more modern interpretation: Everyone is, can be, or should be equal.
– No Child Left Behind
– Every child a reader
(by fourth grade)
– Equality of opportunity or outcome?
Who Wins, Who Loses
Pluralism Versus Elitism
Pluralism
• A GROUP theory of democracy.
• Society contains many conflicting groups with access to government officials, and
these groups compete with one another to influence policy decisions.
• The compromises that result become public policy.
Key Concepts of Pluralism:
• Fragmentation of Power
– Opposing pressures: Duke-ing it out in the marketplace of ideas
• Bargaining
– Horse-trading: Groups must bargain with each other to obtain their goals
• Compromise
– Accommodation: Half a loaf IS better…
• Consensus
– Agreement: majority acceptance of foundational values and specific policy choices
Keeping Pluralism In Check
• Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty
is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!
Benjamin Franklin
• Democracies fail when the people realize that they can vote themselves other
people’s money… Democracies that succeed have strong constitutions, working
checks and balances, multiple safety valves, and active, well informed citizens.
Elite Theory
• Society is dominated by unified and non-representative leaders, called the power
elite.
• Elites secure the important decision making positions while encouraging
powerlessness below.
• Society is held together, not by widespread agreement, but by force and control…
the only consensus that exists is that some have power and some do not.
American Elitism
• Elites: Those who get more than others of the values society has available, such as wealth,
prestige, or security. (Wasserman)
• Elite theory: society is ruled by a small number of people who exercise power in their self interest.
(Schmidt)
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What makes us different: We believe we can all become elites if we work hard
enough. Our elites aren’t born, they are MADE.
Critiques:
Pluralism; I think not!
• Too focused on process instead of actual outcomes
– A system of democratic procedures may simply conceal the powerful getting their way.
• Hyperpluralism
– Political inflation leads to so many competing groups making so many demands that the
government begins to choke on budget deficits caused by trying to please all the groups.
(Sound familiar?)
Yo, Elite Theory is STUPID
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You really think elites are unified?
Maybe it’s not so bad if elites make decisions; that’s better than uninformed masses.
And I suppose you believe in Area 51 and the multiple shooter theory too, don’t you?
– Conspiracy theories
So What is This a Picture of -
Pluralism or Elitism?
Oh, look, a compromise. (Or two!)
What did you expect from a Political Science class?
1) Both At Once, Together
• Plural Elitism:
• Politics is divided into separate policy arenas where narrow elites dominate, often at the expense
of the public interest.
• The analogy of the picket fence of federalism:
Remember the Iron Triangle?
Lobbyists, Bureaucratic Personnel and Congressional Committees
So Maybe It Really Looks Like This:
A wrought iron fence with a 3 sided finial on top.
2) Both at the Same Time
• Wasserman: Pluralism might be most appropriate in describing a small community’s
politics, but the elite approach may help us understand the making of a national
security party. (page 258)
Or, Why I Like State and Local Government…
• You really can’t call Sheriff Garrett an “elite”.
• The higher you go, the more “rarified” the air.
• The “lower” levels of government are more representative and thus more responsive.
So Remember:
• What do we have?
• A representative democracy in the form of a Democratic Republic, which is
influenced by pluralism, elitism and plural elitism!
• Or, “the worst form of government, save all the others.”
In order to form a more perfect union…
• Core American Beliefs:
• Democracy
• Equality
• Individual liberty
• Private property
• Capitalism
• Nationalism and exceptionalism
• Central Question:
– The nature of man
• What you believe informs how you create a government.
• What you believe informs how you view government!
So, what do you believe?