Chapter 2 - Majoritarian or Pluralist Democracy?

What is democracy?

  • Democracy can be understood in two main senses: procedural democracy and substantive democracy.

  • Procedural democracy emphasizes the processes that enable the people to govern (means).

  • Substantive democracy is about the substance of government policies regarding individual liberty and rights (ends).

Procedural democracy

  • Procedural democracy establishes principles describing how government should make decisions.

Procedural democracy questions

  • It addresses 3 questions:

    • Who should participate in decision-making? – Universal participation

    • How much should each participant’s vote count? – Political equality

    • How many votes are needed to reach a decision? – Majority rule

Indirect democracy and representation

  • In an indirect democracy with elected representatives (a republic) we ask, whose opinions do elected leaders follow in making laws? – The people, which requires the responsiveness of leaders

Procedural vs Substantive: lack of precise criteria in substantive

  • Substantive democracy does not provide precise criteria to determine whether (or not) government is democratic – How much free speech or freedom of religion is required to be democratic?

  • Was the U.S. (not) a democracy prior to the civil war?

  • Was the U.S. (not) a democracy prior to women’s suffrage (right to vote)?

Procedural democracy vs substantive: potential conflict

  • The procedural viewpoint, while presenting specific criteria for democratic government, may produce policies that oppress minorities (e.g., restrict their rights) thus violating substantive democracy (e.g., free speech).

Procedural democracy produced: historical examples

  • Constitution treated African-Americans as \frac{3}{5}{ } a person and institutionalized slavery

Procedural democracy produced: Jim Crow

  • Jim Crow laws throughout the South

Theories of procedural democracy in the United States

Which type of democracy will we mostly study?

  • We will primarily focus on procedural democracy, but will also cover substantive democracy when we cover civil liberties and civil rights

Majoritarian model

  • The majoritarian model is the classic theory of democracy in which government by the people is interpreted as government by the majority of the people.

Central to the Majoritarian Model of Democracy

  • Elections

  • Political Parties

  • Centralized government

Theories of Procedural Democracy in the United States, contd. – The pluralist model

  • The pluralist model is an interpretation of democracy in which government “by the people” happens through competing interest groups.

Important to the Pluralist Model of Democracy

  • Competition among interest groups

  • Decentralized government

  • Limits majority action - allows minorities to rule

Pluralism

  • Public

  • Policy

  • interest groups

NRA

  • Pluralism

  • Labor

  • Sierra Club

  • corporations

  • Public

  • Policy

Does Pluralism produce democratic outcomes?

  • Madison argues that struggles among diverse ‘factions’ (interests) would represent the policy needs of ordinary citizens.

  • Others argue that pluralism is biased, leading to public policy that is favorable towards the well organized and wealthy

(Biased) Pluralism

  • Public

  • Policy

  • corporations

Comparing majoritarianism & pluralism

  • Majoritarian model:

    • Elections and political parties are key

    • Centralized structure of government

    • Enables majorities to rule

  • Pluralist model:

    • Interest groups are key

    • Decentralized structure of government

    • Limits majority action - allows minorities to rule

Centralized vs. Decentralized Government

  • Centralized

  • Decentralized

American government is highly fragmented

  • Federalism

  • THE CONSTITUTION

  • Separation of powers

  • National government

  • State governments

  • Legislative branch

  • Executive branch

  • Judicial branch

  • Bicameral Congress

  • House of Representatives

  • Senates

  • Committees

  • Committees

  • Subcommittees

An Undemocratic Model: Elite Theory

  • Theory that important government decisions made by small group of wealthy people

  • Control key financial, communications, industrial, and government institutions

  • Define issues and effect outcomes to serve their interests

  • According to elite theory, the U.S. is an oligarchy

  • Extreme version of this are conspiracy theories about secret, powerful organizations, such as the Illuminati or the Freemasons

Divided States of Oligarchy (wealth slide)

  • Mark Zuckerberg Wealth

    • 2012: $44 billion

    • 2025: $217 billion

  • Jeff Bezos Wealth

    • 2012: $18 billion

    • 2025: $245 billion

  • Elon Musk Wealth

    • 2012: $2 billion

    • 2025: $449 billion

Elite theory claims

  • that a small group of people make most of the important govt. decisions (undemocratic)

What is NOT important to Elite Theory

  • Elections and voting

  • Political Parties

  • Interest groups

  • The structure of government (centralized or decentralized)

Elite Theory vs. Pluralist Theory

  • First key difference is the durability of the ruling minority – In elite theory, who is an elite doesn’t change much – In pluralism, no one group always wins; it is always changing

Elite Theory vs. Pluralist Theory (continued)

  • Second key difference is that pluralist theory involves struggle between interest groups whereas elite theory is relatively consensual (elites agree to do what is in their best interests) – Wealthy groups do not always win in pluralism, but do have an advantage