at there is no dominant power elite an increasing dispersion of power, and a sense of weakness and dependence among those in higher and lower status. This model also assumes that the diversity of interests in mass society assures that no one group can control decisionmaking throughout the society. However, despite the inherent appeal of the pluralist model, Hess, Markson, and Stein (1989) contend that because in most political systems, the great mass of people remain uninvolved, elites and power holders are rarely challenged. Even when grassroots organizing occurs and community action groups become key and highly influential actors in the power structure of a community, such groups tend themselves to be dominated, if not entirely controlled, by a small handful of individuals who have either made enormous commitments to the goals of the group, or have equally large commitments to a personal agenda. Other theories of power and control - such as functionalist theory, conflict theory - should als
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