questions does an average person have more influence in local or national politics? do the poor have...

Questions

• Does an average person have more influence in local or national politics?

• Do the poor have more influence in local or national politics?

Questions

• Do the rich (“elites”) have more influence in local or national politics?

• Who was the most powerful person in a place

you came from?

Questions

• How would you identify the most powerful people in a city / county?

Post-Reform Political Institutions

• Levels of Voter Participation in America (% of VAP):

• 2014 Congressional: 35.9%• 2012 Presidential 58.0• 2013 LA Mayoral 23%*• 2013 Whatcom Co. 45.5%• 2007 Gubernatorial 38.1 (LA, KY & MS)• 2000 California local 30.0

Levels of Local Participation in America

In the last 12 months, did you / were you: all poor wealthy dif Attend public meeting to discuss school or town affairs 45% 31 63

-32Work on a community project

38% 23 60 -37Attended a PTA / school group meeting 24%

14 34 -20Participate in neighborhood / homeowner association 22% 12 41

-29Participate in group that took action for local reform 18% 9

30 -21 Note: Poor = household income is $20,000 or less, wealthy = $100,000 or more

In this context, who has power?

A) Theory of Elite Rule (different than Moloch)• in mid-large places, reforms & lack of urban

machine create "vacuum”

• in smaller, homogeneous places, limited conflict = "limited stakes”

• early studies (1929 - late 50s) stress model of

In this context, who has power?

Early studies (1929 - late 50s) stress model of• class stratification• lower = worker consciousness• mid = homeowner consciousness• upper = capital owner

consciousness

– top layers control machinery of govt

Elite theory of urban politics

1) upper class rules what cities do

• class function of birth, ownership, wealth, old money families, etc.

2) political and civil leaders beholden to upper class


3) single, homogeneous power-elite rules city

• have influence over multiple policy spheres

• more so even than in national politics, since there are no vehicles to represent lower status claims (e.g., parties)

4) power elite rule in their own interest • the business of a city is business, and social amenities

are for the rich....


5) political conflict = class conflict

Muted, one-sided class conflict

Findings from early reputational power studies

1) Atlanta, GA 1953 (Floyd Hunter) • determine top 100 elites • reputational study• survey of knowledgeable informers

• "who is the biggest man in town?”• find inter-relations among top 100

• a small, homogeneous, interlocking group dominating all policy areas


1) Atlanta, GA 1953 (Floyd Hunter)• cadre of businessmen who interact socially,

attend same clubs and schools

• "test of admission to circle of decision makers is a man's position in the business community"


• 2) Muncie, IN 1929 (Lynd and Lynd)

• small wealthy clique of families own main banks, downtown buildings, local press

• therefore they control nearly all politics

• a level of elite domination not possible at national level ??


3) Philadelphia, 1959; Morris, IL 1949

Business elite control local economy and hold sway over public matters

“An aristocracy of wealth and privilege”


• Q: today, is it more/less likely that a single family could have such ownership control in a mid size city?

• What has changed?

Details of Elite Theory of Power

• Elite rule not raw dominance, but "built-in" upper-class "bias" in how things work

– resources to participate– information on politics– motivation (economic) to participate– access (formal and social) to officials– contributions in campaigns


• Privilege place of private investors

– make decisions that increase/decrease land value– cities built on private capita– fiscal health depends on private investment– bond ratings affects by fiscal health– ability to borrow for school const, etc.


• The "silent face" of power – ability to keep things off the agenda– power of elite reflected in what cities do not do• unemployment compensations• income taxes• social services• public housing• welfare services (?)

Problems with the Elite Model

• How homogeneous can "the" elite be?– old money families vs.. "new rich”– old industries vs.. new industries

• Do businesses have conflicts w/ each other?– homebuilders vs. industry– smokestacks vs. tourism – sales tax vs. property tax


What is the glue that might hold these elites together:

low taxes?infrastructure?pro-development ideology


How much do cites act only in elite interest? What amenities do cities provide?

Pro sports teamsSymphony halls, museums convention centers, retail meccas

parks, libraries, mass transitOr are these instruments of profit and social control

Overview: Elite Power model

1) institutional power– Progressive reforms weaken public offices

2) structural power– cozy links private & public financial, investment power

3) ideological power– "growth is good”

4) "silent power”– agenda control......

Overview: Elite Power model

• PROBLEMS

– does reputation = actual decisions?– does wealth, social status = all political power?

Pluralist Theory of Urban Politics

• Pluralist Theory (R. Dahl, New Haven CT 1961)

• identify those having reputation as powerful, then

• OBSERVE decisions they make/influence in 3 areas:– economic re-development policy– political nominations– education policy


• Few have power in all 3 areas

–of top 50, only 3 (the elected mayor)–most (27) had influence in just one arena


• Power diffuse, fluid and mobile

• new groups mobilize quickly when threatened– bussing, building ugly homes

•

• groups don't withdraw from process less satisfied

• no personal/family "power structure"


• Democratic functions have real meaning

– Most adults registered to vote– elections not corrupt– New Haven elections partisan and competitive,• competing slates• this constrains elites


• Unequal distribution of resources, but– Easy access to one resource of power ($$)

NOT mean access to others (voter support)

–No single resource dominant• nominations = votes, popularity• redevelopment = $$, information• education = legal skill, use of courts

Comparing/Assessing the Models

• Cities are different

– culture: how "pro growth" or "post material”– institutions: how reformed?– heterogeneity of population


• Methods and time of studies different

– ‘large’ business less locally owned– family oligopolies giving way to nationalization,

globalization of capital


• City power structure related to local participation

– Activist cities• Santa Monica, Berkeley, Portland, San Francisco, NY,

Chicago

– Low participation (reformed) places• Atlanta 1950s, sunbelt cities, many homogeneous suburbs


• Different resources of influence/power

– Power function of expertise, information, education, skill with legal system

– Power function of voter support– AND money

So, who governs?

• Does pluralist model apply better to national or local politics?

• Does elite model apply better to nation or local politics?

So, who governs?

• Can there be a pluralist model of power without political parties?

questions does an average person have more influence in local or national politics? do the poor have...

Documents

upper class slide

national politics

business community slide

onesided class conflict

elite theory of urban

power elite rule

s stress model of slide

california local