Pluralism

Pluralism is the theory that a multitude of groups govern the United States. These organizations influence the making and administration of laws and policy. The public acts mainly as bystanders.

Some pluralists believe that direct democracy is not only unworkable, but also undesirable. Most people spend their time and energies on activities involving work, family, health, friendship, and recreation. Other pluralists believe that the common person lacks the virtues for self-government, reason, intelligence, and patience, and that direct democracy leads to anarchy and the loss of freedom.

Pluralists do not think that representative democracy works as well in practice as in theory.

Many people vote against candidates they dislike, as opposed to for a candidate.

Pluralists are convinced that public policy emerges from competition among groups.

The Pluralist View of Power

People are powerful because they control various resources, or assets that can be used to force others to do what one wants. Politicians become powerful because they command resources that people want or fear or respect. Pluralists emphasize that power is flows from a variety of different sources.

Potential versus Actual Power

Pluralists stress the difference between potential and actual power. Actual power means the ability to compel someone to do something. Potential power refers to the possibility of turning resources into actual power.

Three of the major ideals of the pluralist school are resources and potential power are widely scattered throughout society, at least some resources are available to nearly everyone, and at any time the amount of potential power exceeds the amount of actual power.

Scope of Power

No one is all-powerful. A measure of power is its scope. Pluralists believe that most power holders in America usually have a relatively limited scope of influence.

Power cannot be taken for granted. Only by keeping score on a variety of controversies can one begin to identify actual power holders.

The pluralist view of power underlies the pluralist interpretation oh how the American political system operates.

The Characteristics of Pluralism

According to pluralists, the key characteristic