1. American democracy as a competition among interests
Pluralism
American democracy as a competition among interests

2. Pluralism
Definition: The theory that democratic society is best described as a competition among competing groups for political power.

3. Major tenets of pluralism
Balance of power among groups
Each group has some power (often $ vs. #)
No single group or cleavage dominates
Competition between multiple groups results in the general interests of the whole

4. What would Madison say?
Interest groups or pressure groups are factions
Factions are one of the three main threats to a republic
Causes of faction are sown in the nature of man
Diversity and size of the republic are solutions
Faction can be a source of tyranny
Interest groups are factions and thus something to be controlled as a threat to democracy rather than a means of representation

5. What would Madison say?
AMONG the numerous advantages promised by a well constructed Union, none deserves to be more accurately developed than its tendency to break and control the violence of faction. The friend of popular governments never finds himself so much alarmed for their character and fate, as when he contemplates their propensity to this dangerous vice. (Federalist 10)

6. What would Madison say?
So strong is this propensity of mankind to fall into mutual animosities, that where no substantial occasion presents itself, the most frivolous and fanciful distinctions have been sufficient to kindle their unfriendly passions and excite their most violent conflicts. But the most common and durable source of factions has been the various and unequal distribution of property. Those who hold and those who are without property have ever formed distinct interests in society. Those who are creditors, and those who are debtors, fall under a like discrimination. (Federalist 10)

7. What would modern Americans say?
How popular are “special interests”?
Hibbing and Theiss-Morse (2002) Stealth Democracy
Do politicians, parties and interest groups manufacture disputes for their own gain?

8. David Truman Governmental Process (1951)
Pluralist Theory
Group competition and interaction
Focus on compromises negotiated among organized interests
Pluralist response to people who see groups as a threat to democracy

9. David Truman Governmental Process (1951)
Focus on compromises negotiated among organized interests
(Pluralist response to people who see groups as a threat to democracy)
Groups are natural to human society
Overlapping group memberships create stability
Latent groups
Leaders and followers

10. Robert Dahl Who Governs (1957)
Power is resource based
Power is dispersed to many different groups and people
Studied New Haven, Conn., local government
“Polyarchy”

11. Robert Dahl Who Governs (1957)
Dahl studies behavior and power means that A has power over B to the extent that A can get B to do something that B would not do otherwise.
Power involves key resources—votes, jobs, money, volunteers, etc. — that can be brought by political actors to the bargaining game.
Power is how many resources a group has and how well those resources are wielded

12. First Dimensional Power
The “First Face of Power”
Definition of Power: Power is who prevails over resolution of key issues (1st dimension i.e. A has power over B to the extent that A can get B to do something that B would not do otherwise).

13. Robert Dahl’s pluralist democracy
Competition is visible and we see the winners
Resources matter
Grievances visible
Key decisions made in formal arenas
Ordinary citizens (homo civicus)
Leaders (homo politicus)

14. Homo Politicus Some people are political entrepreneurs
They naturally seek to influence government
They get gratification from political activities
Resources:
time, access to money, credit, and wealth, control over jobs, control over information, esteem or social standing, the possession of charisma, popularity, legitimacy, legality, and the rights pertaining to public office.

15. Strengths of Pluralism
Important treatment of group membership
Politics is at the mass level not the individual level
Importance of social aspects, groups and group membership to democracy
Putnam Bowling Alone I2000)
Reconsiders prejudicial alarm against the "invidious character" of special interests

16. Critiques of Pluralism:
Are all groups truly equal?
Do all groups necessarily politically organize or form?
What about people who are not in any important group?
Can potential every homo politicus penetrate the elite?
Are interest groups internally democratic?

17. Critiques of Pluralism:
Pluralism fragments politics into subset policy areas that are dominated by special interests
Pluralism does not have concept of the "public good" different from just a summation of the interests of many different groups
Elections are not important in pluralism (voting is secondary)