Pluralism §
- Pluralist approaches see the state as the main instrument for the regulation of conflict and the reconciliation of competing interest.
- Pluralists see state as a kind of referee that uses its legitimate authority to make sure that the interests of all groups are treated reasonably fairly rather than seeing it as an instrument of class control and oppression 1
- Ex: USA
Characteristics of pluralist §
- The government is not dominated by a single elite but by multiplicity of relatively small groups
- The groups are politically independent: they have right and freedom to do business in political marketplace.
- Competition of intergroup leads to countervailing influence: power of one group tend to offset another. Members can belong to more than one association, and this reduce the intensity of conflict
- The system is open: The organization can continuously recruit new members, so it is rare that the organization will shut off. Moreover, the unused resources encourage the formation of new organization.
- Consensus on the rules of game: People accept regular and open elections, the right to vote, freedom of speech etc.
References §
