The Elite and Pluralist Approach to Governance
This essay seeks to explain the Elitist and Pluralist approaches to governance and advance both positive and negative sides for each approach. It shall begin by defining the major terms/ concepts Governance, Elitist and Pluralist. The essay shall then explain in detail the two approaches respectively. Then it shall highlight the positives (merits) and negatives (demerits) for each approach. Finally the essay shall give a conclusion based on the main points of the essay.
Governance is the activity or process of making policy decisions and implementing them or the ability of government to create and implement public policy. It describes the mechanisms government uses to ensure that the citizenly follow and abide by its established policies and laws.
Elitist comes from the term elite which refers to a few selected individuals who dominate in a political system, have too much power concentrated in their hands to govern society because of their ability and greater organizational capacity, wealth, social origin or achievements. The Elitist approach is a conflict theory based on the belief according Aristotle that some people are meant to rule and others to be ruled. The rulers are those few individuals who get to the top by virtue of their superior quality. Cox, A. (1985; pg 107)
Pluralist comes from the term plural which refers to, “more than one or consisting of more than one”. And pluralism is a theory that reality is composed of a plurality of entities of society. Here the basic ideas of government are seen through the ideas of individuals and groups to ensure that all the needs and wants of society are taken care of. There is no right or wrong idea: everyone’s ideas are valid.
Having defined the main terms, we can now look at the two approaches in detail. In the first place, these models were developed in view of making government policies. Society exhibits various aspects of behavior that can cause anarchy in society and as such, need to be controlled and
Governance is the activity or process of making policy decisions and implementing them or the ability of government to create and implement public policy. It describes the mechanisms government uses to ensure that the citizenly follow and abide by its established policies and laws.
Elitist comes from the term elite which refers to a few selected individuals who dominate in a political system, have too much power concentrated in their hands to govern society because of their ability and greater organizational capacity, wealth, social origin or achievements. The Elitist approach is a conflict theory based on the belief according Aristotle that some people are meant to rule and others to be ruled. The rulers are those few individuals who get to the top by virtue of their superior quality. Cox, A. (1985; pg 107)
Pluralist comes from the term plural which refers to, “more than one or consisting of more than one”. And pluralism is a theory that reality is composed of a plurality of entities of society. Here the basic ideas of government are seen through the ideas of individuals and groups to ensure that all the needs and wants of society are taken care of. There is no right or wrong idea: everyone’s ideas are valid.
Having defined the main terms, we can now look at the two approaches in detail. In the first place, these models were developed in view of making government policies. Society exhibits various aspects of behavior that can cause anarchy in society and as such, need to be controlled and