There are two general answers to this question...with specific variations within each
PLURALISM
I . Populism/ Popular Sovereignty
a. power flows from the bottom up (the "people" actually rule)
b. the ideal of democracy that we have been taught
c. primarily concerned with governmental institutions as the locus of power
d. elected representatives are responsible and responsive to the "people"
II. Interest/Veto Group
a. an expanded/amended form of I.
b. power is decentralized and is the actual process of decision making
c. the "Will of the People" is facilitated through interest groups as "channels" for expression of sovereignty
d. interest groups compete as equals that counterbalance each other
-----1. are "open" to all
-----2. leadership will vary over time and from issue to issue e. Government is not
and should not be an advocate of positions or policies, but is a neutral judge or mediator of the competing interests
III. Pluralist Elite
a. recognition that "elites" exist, but who are not an "interest group" themselves
b. there is a plurality of elites (multiple elites = polyarchy)
c. a "bridge" to the Elitism perspective
NOTE: These variations of pluralism are adjustments in theory in light of the realities of an increasingly large, diverse and complex society
ELITISM
I. Communist Conspiracy
a. an ultraconservative view of power structure
b. elites are a small cohesive group who share these views:
-----1. collectivist (anti capitalist or anti individualist) and
-----2. internationalist (one world gov't or anti nationalist)
c. A spurious view that, however, shares with the other Elitist variations:
-----1. big money interests run the country and
-----2. both political parties are dominated by the same kind of people, the wealthy
II. Power Elite (C. Wright Mills)
a. power is centralized in the hands of a few, a "power elite"
b. the "power elite" consists of:
-----1. the corporate rich
-----2. the executive branch
-----3. the Military
c. the corporate rich is 1st among these three equals
d. is a self conscious cohesive group holding key institutional positions in these 3 sectors
III. Governing Class (G. William Domhoff)
a. is the Uppermost social group( 1/2 of 1% of the population)
-----1. owns a disproportionate amount of wealth
-----2. occupy a disproportionate number of institutional positions
-----3. a "class dominance" perspective
b. a "Status Group" of wealthy business men and their families
-----1. a "Power Elite"
-----2. leadership group for the "corporate rich"
c. makes decisions on "appropriate" matters of interest for the US
-----1. policy formation process
-----2. electoral influence
-----3. lobbyist-friendly
d. controls the Executive Branch of the Fed. Government
e. substantial majority of Congressmen share the view, too
IV. "Bias of the System" (Michael Parenti in Democracy for the Few)
a. the system itself favors those who have more of what our society values most highly
-----exerts a "structural pressure" on those in power
b. Government is not neutral
-----is a "State" consistent with the society that produces it
c. power is centralized in the institutional positions of social organizations
d. "Bias" of the system occurs in 3 ways:
-----1. Built in influence of and over the governmental officials at all levels
-----2. Systemic Imperatives
--------a. tradition (i.e. pre political thought)
--------b. economic "realities"
--------c. belief that the "system has worked"
--------d. inertia of institutions
-----3. Ideological Control of the masses of people
--------a. getting people to think and believe in accordance with certain interests
b. control of the "definition of the situation''
c. political/social indoctrination
V. "Who’s Running America?" (Thomas R. Dye)
a. focus is on institutions and the leadership of them
-----found 7314 elite positions...in 12 institutional clusters...in 3 major sectors
b. identification of the elites
-----names
-----characteristics
c. concentration of wealth, power, and assets in corporations and families
d. based on position that elites in any society are inevitable
-----i.e. necessity for leadership
-----"iron law of oligarchy" (Michels)
e. updated data, names, changes...every four years (or, with change in presidents)
(Updated 7/01--DHK)
