POLSCI 1AA3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Elite Theory, Robert A. Dahl
17 Dec 2018
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Document Summary
How and why does the specific form of inequality change over time: do we have meaningful political equality in modern day liberal democratic societies, can we have meaningful political equality in modern liberal democratic societies. Historically, society has been divided into two- those who rule and those who are ruled. Elite theory explores the question of why this has been the case and whether this inequality is an inescapable element of human society. For classical elite theorists, the divide between the two is an inevitability in any society. Why is elite rule an inevitable part of society. Two root cause explanations in elite theory: natural differences. Certain physiological and psychological characteristics confer a political advantage and thereby lead to elite domination. Elite rule is not a consequence of natural differences between individuals, but of the intrinsic nature of social organization. Robert michels iron law of oligarchy - oligarchy will inevitably occur. Why: organization produces bureaucracy which produces hierarchy.
