Pluralism (political theory)

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This article is about "pluralism" as a political theory. For "pluralism" as an acknowledgment of diversity, see Pluralism (political philosophy). For other uses, see Pluralism (disambiguation).

Pluralism is the political theory that politics and decision-making are located mostly in the framework of government but that many non-governmental groups use their resources to exert influence.

Under classical pluralist theory, groups of individuals try to maximize their interests through continuous bargaining processes and conflict. Because of the consequent distribution of resources throughout a population, inequalities may be reduced. At the same time, radical political change will be met with resistance due to the existence of competing interest groups, which collectively form the basis of a democratic equilibrium.[1]

Theorists of pluralism include Robert A. Dahl, David Truman, and Seymour Martin Lipset.

Definition

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Pluralists believe that social heterogeneity prevents any single group from gaining dominance.[2] Because of the long-term instability of coalitions, competition among competing interests groups is easily preserved.[3]

Dahl describes power as a "realistic relationship, such as A's capacity for acting in such a manner as to control B's responses".[4] In Dahl's view, because "political heterogeneity follows socioeconomic heterogeneity", social differentiation increasingly disperses power.

Theories

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Elite pluralism

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Elite pluralism notes the presence of inequities due to elites holding greatly disproportionate societal power,[5] or by systemic distortions of the political process itself, perpetuated by, for example, regulatory or cultural capture. Theories of elite pluralism have argued that representative democracy is flawed and tends to deteriorate towards particracy or oligarchy, by the iron law of oligarchy or otherwise.[6]

Neo-pluralism

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Neo-pluralism emerged as a challenge to classical pluralist theory.[7] Neo-pluralist political scientist Charles E. Lindblom attributes primacy to the competition between interest groups in the policy process but recognizes the disproportionate influence business interests have in the policy process.

In foreign policy

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In international security, during the policymaking process, different parties may have a chance to take part in decision making. The party who has more power has more opportunity to gain even more power and increase the possibility of getting what it wants.[8]

Democratization

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The Anti-Pluralism Index in V-Party Dataset is modeled as a lack of commitment to the democratic process, disrespect for fundamental minority rights, demonization of opponents, and acceptance of political violence.[9] The V-Party Dataset demonstrates higher autocratization for high anti-pluralism.[10]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Held, David, Models of Democracy
  2. ^ James Madison. Pluralism.
  3. ^ (Polsby, 1980)
  4. ^ Dahl, Robert A., 1915–2014. (2006). A preface to democratic theory (Expanded ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN 0226134334. OCLC 65198011.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Schattschneider, E.E. 1960. The Semi-Sovereign People. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, p. 35.
  6. ^ Zur Soziologie des Parteiwesens in der modernen Demokratie. Untersuchungen über die oligarchischen Tendenzen des Gruppenlebens (1911, 1925; 1970). Translated as Sociologia del partito politico nella democrazia moderna : studi sulle tendenze oligarchiche degli aggregati politici, from the German original by Dr. Alfredo Polledro, revised and expanded (1912). Translated, from the Italian, by Eden and Cedar Paul as Political Parties: A Sociological Study of the Oligarchical Tendencies of Modern Democracy'" (Hearst's International Library Co., 1915; Free Press, 1949; Dover Publications, 1959); republished with an introduction by Seymour Martin Lipset (Crowell-Collier, 1962; Transaction Publishers, 1999, ISBN 0-7658-0469-7); translated in French by S. Jankélévitch, Les partis politiques. Essai sur les tendances oligarchiques des démocraties, Brussels, Editions de l'Université de Bruxelles, 2009 (ISBN 978-2-8004-1443-0)
  7. ^ Connolly (1969) The Challenge to Pluralist Theory
  8. ^ M. Frances (1991)
  9. ^ "V-Party Dataset". V-Dem Institute. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  10. ^ Medzihorsky, Juraj; Lindberg, Staffan I (2023). "Walking the Talk: How to Identify Anti-Pluralist Parties" (PDF). Party Politics. doi:10.1177/13540688231153092.

References

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  • Ankerl Guy (2000) Coexisting Contemporary Civilizations. Geneva: INUPress.
  • Elmer Eric Schattschneider (1960) The Semi-Sovereign People. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.
  • Gad Barzilai (2003) Communities and Law: Politics and Cultures of Legal Identities. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.
  • Polsby, Nelson W. (1960) How to Study Community Power: The Pluralist Alternative. The Journal of Politics, (22)3, 474–484
  • William E. Connolly: The Ethos of Pluralization. University of Minnesota Press, 1995.
  • C. Alden (2011). Foreign policy analysis. London: University of London.
  • H. Kazemzadeh (2020). Democratic platform in Social Pluralism. Internal Journal of ACPCS, Winter No.10 pp. 237–253.
  • M. Frances Klein (1991). The Politics of Curriculum Decision-Making: Issues in Centralizing the Curriculum. New York: SUNY Press.