POLS 102 1st Edition Lecture 11Outline of Last Lecture 1. Research paper requirements2. What is majoritarian democracy?3. Steps necessary to achieve majoritarian democracy4. Assumptions of majoritarian democracy5. What is pluralism?6. Steps necessary to achieve pluralismOutline of Current Lecture 1. What is Pluralism (continued from last class)a. Policy is a compromise between groups that lobbyi. The Policy Bubbleb. Assumptions of Pluralistsi. All persons interested in an issue join groupsii. The government is a neutral institutionsiii. Groups have influence in proportion to their membershipiv. Public Policy actually is a compromise between all interested groups.Current LectureWhat is Pluralism (continued from last class)3. Policy is a compromise between groups that lobbyThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute.- The Policy Bubble o Dahl, a normative theorist – he believes this is the way things should be Dahl says people join, contribute and use resources to communicate with government to make decisions based on their interests. Interest groups compete against each other. o Example: environmental groups compete against coal and electricity interest groups. o Government creates compromises between these groups – as seen in the policy bubbleo The government is responsive to all stakeholders4. Assumptions of Pluralists- All persons interested in an issue joins groupso This isn’t the case. o Mancur Olsen (1-1) talks about free riding and the logic of collective government action. o Example: It takes effort for people to recycle and whose at stake in making sure we don’t use up resources and materials are recycled.. everyone in the world. But, why take the effort to recycle one can when it won’t make that big of an impact? But if everyone in the class recycled a can, it would create a bigger impact. o There’s a little benefit from participating, it doesn’t make sense to contribute because you’re share of the benefit is so small. You shouldn’t contribute; you should preserve your resources.o Free ride on the actions of others. - The government is a neutral institution- elected officials don’t have interests themselves. o This is what pluralists want but this isn’t the caseo It’s silly to think elected officials don’t have an agenda and goals themselveso Elected officials have an electorate incentive to help people tat have helped them in the past.- Groups have influence in proportion to membershipo What is membership? Do you just pay dues? Or is it just about having stake in the issue?o Can be the case or not – it varies- Public policy actually is a compromise between all interested groups o That’s not the caseo Sometimes they don’t even consider a request by an interest
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